Solovet's Secret
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: There was no denying that Solovet was a mostly self-serving soul, but still. Even though she had been rather harsh, she always took care of Luxa and looked out for her best interest. Or at least that's what Luxa used to think. When years after her grandmother's death one last secret is brought to light, the Queen is forced to face a horrible truth as well as her own demons.
1. Chapter 1

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 1

"Open your mouth. Let Daddy take a look, huh?"

The toddler turned his head though, whining. Frowning, Gregor reached out to grab his face in his hand, holding it still.

"Open it for Daddy or else he's going to get upset. Do you want Daddy upset?"

Luxa finally rolled her eyes before bending over to stare down at the child as well. "Move, Overlander. You have once again proved useless."

"Rude," he remarked though he did stand up and take a step back. "You do it then."

"Open." When the baby started to whine, Luxa only added, "Now."

Whining, the two year old opened his mouth, allowing his mother to reach in and pull a plastic toy Gregor had brought him from the Overland out. They didn't want him to choke, after all.

"I told you not to bring him-"

"Maybe I misjudged the age appropriateness. Whatever. He's fine, isn't he?"

Luxa only patted the child on the head before standing up straight again. Then, looking to Gregor, she waited for him to hold out his palm before dropping the spit covered toy in it.

"Get rid of it."

"It's a little lion though."

"Gregor-"

"Understood," he sighed before looking down at their son. "Sorry, Luke."

He just took to sticking his fingers in his mouth, staring up at them. They were standing in the sitting room of the royal wing, the little boy overjoyed when his father returned from the Overland. Not just for the gift either. Being stuck with Luxa for a whole week was never something the little boy enjoyed.

"First five minutes of being home and I already want to go back."

"Gregor-"

"Kidding." Kind of. Going over to his son, he picked him up before going over to one of the couches and sitting down. "You've hardly even greeted me."

"Greeted you? As if I have had the chance? You nearly choked the baby before I had a chance to-"

"It was just in his mouth and you flipped out. He wasn't going to swallow it. You know that he's teething."

"Yes, and I have things that he can chew on. That, however, is not something that I am allowing him to put in his mouth."

Gregor just pocketed the toy before kissing his son's head, his brown hair slowly beginning to get too long again. Luxa never liked cutting his hair though and Gregor never forced it until it was completely necessary.

"Where's Hazard then? Or someone else? That will actually be glad I am home?"

Luxa only rolled her eyes before saying. "It is good that you are here anyhow. I have a meeting I must go to. So if you will excuse me-"

"Go," he said, bouncing their son in his lap. "I'd rather you not be around anyhow."

That in itself deserved another eye roll, but Luxa held off as she left the room. The week without Gregor hadn't been easy on her either. It never was. It meant the their son had to be in the nursery all day while she dealt with things. She never rather liked others tending to him. At all. She liked either her or Gregor to take care of him. Mostly Gregor. Because, honestly, children were disgusting. Even her own son. Luxa could do gore. But bodily functions? No thank you.

"You seem happy," was the first thing Luxa said when she got to the tactics room to find Perdita moving around markers on the map. "Or at least energetic."

"I got many messages, the past few days, regarding the positioning of-"

"Do not say gnawers."

"Hmmm? No." She shook her head, glancing over at her queen. "It is the main shiner colony. They-"

"Is it relevant to anything I deal with? At all?"

"Well-"

"Can I not just look at the map when you are finished?"

"You can, I suppose."

"Then let us leave it at that, yes?" Luxa came further into the room, hardly glancing down at the map of the Underland spread across the elevated table in the center of the room. "I am tired of plotting movements. Nothing has occurred of interest in months."

"Do not sound so upset about that," the older woman chided as Luxa collapsed into one of the chairs at the table. "That is a good thing. It keeps our soldiers safe and our enemies happy. Peace is always something to strive for."

Luxa only shook her head, continuing to stare at anything other than the map. "The Overland has arrived back in Regalia."

"Was he gone?"

Shaking her head slightly, Luxa said, "For a week."

"Hmmm. It is a shame that he must leave every few months. Of course, it is better than him dying." Perdita laughed then, apparently finding that funny. Luxa only rolled her eyes. Sobering, Perdita said, "Why do you not seemed pleased?"

"With Gregor? Because he is Gregor."

"Hmmm." Perdita only shook her head before going back to work on rearranging the markers. She found much more pleasure in work than with other people. "Did you read over that scroll your uncle sent you from the Fount?"

"Unfortunately," Luxa sighed. "It has offered nothing of interest, either. I am not going to allow him to extend the Fount's walls. I have said no before. Why he continues to ask-"

"Because the Fount continues to grow."

"So does Regalia, but I do not try and tear down a wall to build another. I gave him permission to build outside the walls, so long it is on our lands, but-"

"Who would want to live outside the walls?"

"The Fount is safe, Perdita. Besides, people do here."

"Farmers," Perdita corrected. "And we have enough scouts around to protect them. In the Fount-"

"The Fount is more protected than Regalia," Luxa argued with a frown. "I am not going to spend money on building a new wall when Regalia is still in a state of continuous dilapidation from all the wars we face. The Fount is fine. York is just bored and attempting to find another way to annoy me."

"He is the governor, Luxa. It is your duty to at least hear his case."

"I have." She sat up taller then. "Are you accusing me of otherwise?"

"No," Perdita said slowly, pausing for a moment, one of the map markers in her hand, poised over a spot. "I am only making conversation. Trying to be more personable."

"Well, cut it out."

"Understood."

So they sat there for awhile, Luxa mostly wasting hours until she had to go get ready for court that day. The main one was a pretty open and shut case as far as the facts went. Another robbery case. Sigh. Boring.

At least that night she did not have to worry about some big engagement or dinner. And with Gregor being back, he would probably want to spend some time together at some point, which wouldn't be wholly bad. Hopefully. It all really depended on her mood which admittedly wasn't all that great for the most part.

Eventually, around luncheon, she figured she had better check in with Gregor. She would need to begin getting ready for court that day anyhow.

When she got to her bedchamber, she found Gregor there, of course, napping, with their son snuggled up to him. Rolling her eyes was inevitable then as she went to flick his head.

"Mmmm?"

"Has he been feed?"

"Mmmm."

"Gregor-"

"Don't you have something else to do?" he asked, peeking an eye open to stare up at her. There was only a single torch in the room and it was still rather dark. "Other than control my life?"

Another thump. "So you haven't fed him."

"Are you going to do it if I say no?"

"No."

"Then what difference does it make? He'll eat after our nap." Gregor shut his eyes again, one arm laying on his chest, the other cradling the back of his head. "You wanna lay down?"

"I cannot. I do not have time. I must get ready for court."

He made sweeping gesture with the hand strewn over his chest. "Go ahead."

One last thump. "Behave."

"I'll try."

She was as quiet as she could be as she went around the room, preparing for court later. One of her servants came in at one point to help her with something, but Gregor just slept through it, along with their son. When she was prepped for court, Luxa thought about awakening Gregor and telling him that she wished for him to be in court with her, but then thought against it. If he was content with sleeping the entire day, then she figured she should leave him to sleep. It was for the better anyhow.

* * *

><p>When Gregor opened his eyes again, he was not shocked to find Luxa gone. Only laid there for awhile, as if waiting to see if she would come back. Then he remembered she mentioned something about court and knew he wouldn't see her again until dinner.<p>

Groaning, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, glancing down at his son while he was at it. The toddler was still sleeping away and part of Gregor thought to leave him, but then he knew they'd never manage to get him down that night and they just couldn't have that.

"Gotta get up, buddy," Gregor whispered to the toddler, brushing some of his hair out of his face. "You hungry? Huh? We gotta eat something or else Luxa'll yell at me. You don't want that. Do you?"

When the toddler opened his eyes, he just stared up at his father sleepily. Looking down into his son's purple irises, Gregor only smiled. That made the boy slowly smile back before reaching out for him, his pale hands opening and closing as he waited for Gregor to snatch him up.

Kissing his head when he did, Gregor said, "Or we could go see Luxa in court. If you wanna. Grab some bread or something on the way. Fruit. What do you say? Yes or no?"

"Yes."

"Silly." Gregor kissed the top of his head. "You can't even say no yet."

"Yes."

Gregor hadn't bathed since coming back to the Underland and also hadn't changed out of his Overland clothes. He figured it was best to get that all taken care of before going to the throne room. Didn't want to be more of an embarrassment to Luxa or whatever.

Plus he missed wearing his sword belt.

Judgment day was all but over by the time Gregor even got to the throne room. It was a rather slow day, as there were no major murder trials or such going on, so the room was not filled with patrons. He never rather liked being around when Luxa sentenced people, but it beat hanging around the royal wing doing nothing. Or training. Bleh.

"You gotta be quiet," Gregor reminded his son as he slid into a seat towards the back. "Huh?"

He was pretty good at behaving though, the little boy was. He spent a lot of time with Luxa, who was very intent on teaching him to behave. Besides, if he did start acting up, Gregor would just consider it a failed endeavor and take him out of the room.

"Didi."

"Yeah, I know. Just be quiet, huh?"

The little boy took to sucking on his thumb, which Gregor usually would reprimand him for, but so long as it kept him quiet, all was well. Leaning back in his own chair, Gregor figured he should at least tune in to what was going on up at the from of the huge, auditorium-esque room where there was a small stage as well as Luxa's throne. She looked rather regal as always seated upon it, her royal guard all around. He grinned at her, but figured she was far, far too away to notice.

It was when Luxa spoke, about ten minutes to them being in there, that Lucais (a compromise to an Underland name and an Overland one. Gregor and his family called him Luke, while Luxa and others called him by his real name) took his thumb out of his mouth and looked up.

"Luxa." That was one word that he had down pat. Clapping his hands together, Luke giggled. "Luxa."

"Shhh. Be quiet."

He only wiggled though. It was his mother up there, after all.

"-in accordance to my ruling, you must pay out twice the cost of the damage you have done to this man's cart," Luxa was saying as she stared down at some thief or something. Gregor didn't really get the whole gist of the case. Just that Luxa had ruled guilty.

There was another case after that, about some sort of crop dispute that Gregor could tell bored Luxa to no end. He only sat by, keeping Luke quiet while trying to pay attention. It was honestly boring him as well.

The main problem arose when all the cases were finished for the day and Luxa stood to leave. It was customary for her guards to lead her out and everyone in the crowd bow to her. Gregor always felt a little silly doing it and almost did it in a sarcastic way, but Luxa never said anything about it and he sure wasn't going to bring it up.

When Luxa passed Gregor's row though, there was nothing he could do to stop Luke from jumping out of his seat and running under Gregor's feet, after his mother. As they were at the end of his row, it was easy enough for him to get at her. When one of the guards made some sort of a movement to grab him, Luxa only gave him a look, coming to a stop before picking the child up. She didn't even spare Gregor a look, though he knew he'd get it later for the whole situation.

Luke just settled into her arms like it was nothing. And it wasn't anything to him. He didn't know that Luxa was working or busy. He just knew that she was his mommy and he would rather be with her in that moment than Gregor.

Everyone started filing out not soon after Luxa left, but Gregor hung around for awhile. Luxa would want to meet for dinner eventually, but he really wanted to avoid that now that he had, against all his attempts not to, managed to embarrass her. Possibly. Probably.

So Gregor figured it was best to find a few other things to do before seeking Luxa out. First stop on that train was to see Vikus, who was always up for a good talking session.

"What stories do you bring to me from the Overland then, hmmm?" was the only thing Vikus had to say to him when he entered his room. "Anything of interest?"

He had a few tales, as he had been gone a full seven days, but they would have been mostly boring to any other person. Vikus though just enjoyed company mostly and was usually rather deprived of it. And as they were currently at peace, Gregor had very few things to do with his day other than sit in with the old man. Besides, Vikus liked Luke well enough, considering he was his great-grandson, and never objected to him being brought around either.

"I feel as if it has been forever and a day since your mother came to visit, Gregor," Vikus told him at one point to which Gregor only nodded.

"She works a lot," he agreed. "And Dad's sick again, so he's out of work."

"Life is hard. I cannot imagine what mine would be without Luxa to take care of me."

"You'd be in the Fount with Susannah, I am sure."

Vikus considered that, sitting there in his bed before nodding his head. It was the truth, after all. Luxa had threatened with sending him out there enough anyhow.

Eventually though, Gregor had to go face the music and go eat dinner. Luxa would no doubt just grow more annoyed with his avoidance. She was in the dining hall when he got there, Hazard accompanying her as always while Luke was perched in her lap.

"And where have you been then, Gregor?"

"I'm guessing you won't take busy with very important things as an excuse?"

She only let out a loud, disappointed sigh before shaking her head. Luke looked up at the noise before patting her mouth with one hand, staring up at her. When Luxa glanced down at him, he only giggled before going back to his dinner.

"I did not know that you were returning today, Gregor," Hazard greeted when he came into the room.

"Luxa won't let me stay away for more than seven days. She's real clingy, you know."

"Didi." Lucais reached out for Gregor as he sat down next to Luxa. "Me."

"You." Taking him from Luxa, Gregor said, "You know that you got me in trouble today, buddy?"

"_He_ did not get you in trouble," Luxa remarked as Hazard looked up at the words. "He was only doing as a child will. It was you that was in the wrong. You should have been holding on to him."

"What happened?" Hazard asked as a servant came to bring Gregor a plate. "Luxa?"

"Lucais just wanted me," she said going back to her dinner. "Gregor let him loose in the throne room and-"

"I did not." He rolled his eyes. "Luxa walked passed and he just wanted to go with her. What was I supposed to do? You know as well as I, Luxa, that if he started crying when you walked passed because he couldn't go, you would've just come get him. Would that have been better?"

She took to giving that disappointed sigh again, but Gregor just ignored her and spoke to Hazard instead. He knew that they would just have to make up later that night.

"Did any of you speak to Nerissa today?" Hazard asked towards the end of the meal.

"No," Luxa said while Gregor only shook his head. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"More than usual?" Gregor added on which got him a glare from Luxa.

"She was most excited," Hazard told them with a sight shrug. "When I asked her what was wrong, she merely told me that all of our lives were about to be changed. For the better."

"Great," Gregor remarked. "Another vision then?"

"Do not be disrespectful, Gregor." Luxa still shook her head. "I will speak with her on whatever it is she is so excited over."

Luke was wiggling then and was clearly finished eating. Gregor wasn't though and handed him off to Luxa as she stood. She usually bathed him after dinner before they put him to bed anyhow.

"So what all did Nerissa tell you?" Gregor asked after Luxa was gone. Hazard was not as naïve as Luxa and was rather skeptical about Nerissa's, err, powers. "Really?"

"Nothing really," he said with a slight shrug. "Just what I said. And when I asked her what she was talking about, she said that she saw it in a dream. That she saw Luxa…well…Luxa was…"

"What?"

Hazard looked around before leaning over the table and saying softly, "She said that she saw Luxa surrendering her crown."

"What?"

He nodded. "That's not all. She said that Luxa was happy about it too."

"But why-"

"I do not know," Hazard said with a shrug. "That is all that she told me. She said that whatever the reason, it must be a good one if Luxa was so overjoyed by the thought."

"That doesn't make any sense though," Gregor argued. Hazard only shrugged, looking back down at his plate of food.

"What does ever make sense anyhow?"

* * *

><p>The halls were all quiet and empty as Luxa walked down them, Aurora flying over head. The only others up seemed to be guards, but that was not unusual for the hour. It was rather late, after all.<p>

"The Overlander is going to be upset with you," Aurora remarked softly to Luxa who didn't even glance up at her. "It is so late."

"Why would he be upset? I was busy in the war room. Not to mention, I got the baby to bed before I went back to the war room. Did I not?"

"Did you?"

"I put him in his bed, at least. I do not know if he stayed there." Luxa only tossed her hair over her shoulder with a long sigh. "Besides, I had to go back to the war room. I got another scroll from the Fount. Apparently, York is not happy with my decision not to allow him to widen the walls of the Fount."

"When is York happy?"

"Hn."

When Luxa got to her bedchamber, she found Gregor there, shirtless, on top of the sheets. She only sighed when she saw this before getting ready for bed herself. She kept glancing at him though, as if expecting him to wake up. They had spent a week apart, after all. It was commonplace for them to spend some time together. Not that she was going to wake him up for it if he wasn't going to get up on his own. And the longer she waited, the more it looked like he wasn't moving in the slightest.

"Mmmm," she sighed as she got into bed, secretly hoping that woke or disturbed him. Nope. He just laid there in the center of her bed, arms stretched out on both sides. He was so annoying that it was almost cute.

"This is technically _my_ bed," she reminded his sleeping form as she slowly moved to curl against his side. Nothing. He must have really been tired. She knew part of it too was that he was glad to be back. It was comforting, no doubt, to be able to come back home.

Home. It was kind of silly to call it that. For the longest time, they called him going up to the Overland him going home, but that pretty much changed when she got pregnant. He had been staying in the Underland full time at that point, as they were around twenty-three (she was soon to be twenty-four) and he had never actually been able to hold a job up there. It was much easier to live with Luxa in her royal wing and let her take care of him.

Not that the position came for free. Oh, no. Whenever the sounds of war arose, it was his job to defend Regalia to the fullest. Which he did for the most part, although there were times when he thought of the humans as the aggressors and refused to attack whoever it was that they were battling against. In those times Luxa was usually ready to try him for treason and behead him at every turn.

He was used to those sorts of responses to him opposing her though and never really took her seriously. After having started staying in the Underland permanently when he was a few months short of eighteen, mostly flunking high school at that point due to his poor attendance, he knew all Luxa's tricks. Not without his parents permission first though. When his mother caved to the idea, it was more out of exasperation and hopes that if they stopped resisting, he'd lose the desire. Forbidden fruit and all. He didn't though and eventually she forgot that she was supposed to be opposed to it.

Their relationship was much simpler for Luxa. Mainly because when he came to stay permanently, they were at war with the spinners. When it was made clear that the warrior's ghost was going nowhere fast, most everyone's aggression towards the human's died down.

It was very easy for Luxa to mold him into her reign then. For those few months anyhow. Everyone was most ecstatic to have him around. The warrior. And a rager at that. He'd saved them before and he would save them evermore.

Then the details of how the warrior wasn't exactly ever seen _leaving_ the royal wing escaped. He was seeing entering it a lot, but as for his exits…

Which most could look over. They were young. And young people did things that…well, they got caught doing things that older people did, but were wise enough to hide better.

And slowly, it became more and more commonplace to just acknowledge the existence of their relationship. It didn't make it right and it did not stop it from being scandalous, but there was little anyone could do about it.

And she did not have a mother to tend to her, many said. And she only wanted someone to act as a father towards her, some whispered. And he was so violent, just like her grandmother. But oh, was it not good that she was at least safe at all times? With the warrior's phantom around? It would die out anyhow, right? Like most relationships?

But it didn't. Luxa took her relationship with Gregor very seriously. She met with no other suitors and any advancement seen by another male was immediately shot down, if not reprimanded. The Overlander eventually became the one to escort her to and from all events, as well as took the part of leading her into any other territories she went into, almost like a personal knight or guard.

For all the significance she gave their relationship, he took it just as seriously. Though their fights were, as always, rather loud if not downright passionate, he was always back. Always. Even when she banished him back to the Overland, he'd be back within that week, baring some sort of gift from above, ready to make up. The Underland was where he belonged, just like Luxa's side.

And the longer it went on, the more everyone just became accustom to it. Many kings kept whores or unmarried women around. And from what Luxa could gather, so did queens that served alone. It kept a man from assuming the throne and taking part of her power away, after all.

Though not all were in love with the men they kept, it was just as well to Luxa. Gregor was just as happy not being a king as she was being the only queen. It just worked itself out so well.

But as every remotely good thing in her life, it all had to come to an end eventually. And in usual Luxa fashion, it came crashing down around her.

She got pregnant.

There were actually a few options to go from there, or so they found out. They could, essentially, abort the baby (which they were both against, though Gregor was more concerned with how exactly you could do that in the Underland. He mentioned something about dropping stones on her stomach which made _her_ more interested in what they did up above that would lead him to that conclusion), have it in secret and take it to the Overland and give it up for adoption there, or have Gregor take it to the Overland and raise it with his family.

Then Luxa threw down a hidden option.

It was not uncommon for kings to have bastards, usually with whores or lowborns that they never truly acknowledge. It was not common, however, for the queen to not only birth one, but also raise one.

Gregor offered to marry her, if it would make her feel better, but she denied that option and instead decided it was better for her to just have her child as if nothing was wrong and never act any different.

There was talk. More talk than there ever had been before. There were hushed whispers and harsh looks. Luxa dismissed them all though and anything said directly to her face was met with a snarky remark or rebuttal.

She was having her baby and no one was going to ruin it for her.

The certainty in her mind that Gregor would run off to the Overland and never look back was unlimited. Every time that he went up to spend some time, she had it made up in her mind that he wasn't coming back.

But he did. He always did. Every single time.

Even when things got bad, he never left. Because they did get bad, after the baby was born. Luxa was not prepared for the crying or the late night feedings that came along with having a child. And others tried to persuade her that it would be better to have a wet-nurse or nannies care for the child, but she would have none of it. She wanted to be a mother. A real mother. And when Luxa decided she wanted something, she got it.

Always.

It didn't help either that they were more or less at a stalemate with the gnawers when she gave birth. They were, as always, demanding more land and there was no way that normal Luxa was granting that wish. And pregnant Luxa or post-birth Luxa? No way. No freaking way. Gregor couldn't even get away with putting his feet up on the table in the sitting room and the gnawers thought they were getting some of Luxa's land?

Laughable.

But they made it through it, with about the same amount of luck that it took them to get through everything. And if anything, having a baby made Luxa a little softer. Just a skosh. Nothing anyone else would notice, but Hazard and Gregor benefited from it. Once she got over the constantly exhausted phase of taking care of a newborn, she was a lot nicer all-around. More lenient where she had not been before.

And that was always appreciated.

At the moment though, Luxa was not feeling up to being softer. At all. She had waited seven whole days to see Gregor and when he got back, not only did he accidentally let Lucais loose in the throne room, but he also fell asleep before she could come to bed. Honestly?

"Stupid Overlander," she grumbled as she snuggled up to him, annoyed that he was sleeping on top of the sheet so she could not even get under it herself. He was so selfish. "Why can you not just always stay above?"

Suddenly, the arm that was spread above her head curved slightly to wrap around her. He mumbled out something sleepily about if he stayed above, she'd be more miserable than she was when he was around. Then he was snoring again, probably never truly conscious.

Luxa only pressed her face harder against his side, refusing to let her smile be shown, not even to the sleeping man next to her. It was harder every day, though, to appear displeased when she usually was anything but.

She accomplished it though. Because, oh, was there nothing more that Luxa hated than having to admit that she was happy.

Maybe Ripred, but that was debatable.

* * *

><p><strong>Bleh. This is another take on how Luxa and Gregor's relationship would have to play out in the Underland. It's kinda was born after I wrote that last chapter for Death, Life, and Everything Else. 'cause the more I think about it, I'm pretty sure that Cleopatra is said to have a couple of kids with different people (or at least to have slept with them). Then again, she did sleep with her brother, so…<strong>

**Anywho, this is not going to be one of my long, normal sized stories. At most ten chapters. Maybe five if I can get it all crammed in there, but probably ten. Just definitely not forty or thirty. Believe me.**

**And, yeah, the technical perspective in this one differs from the books, but that's more because this story is Luxa-centric more than it is about Gregor or their relationship. That will become abundantly clear in the coming chapters. **


	2. Chapter 2

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 2

It was still dark in the bedchamber when Luxa awoke, which made sense. She could still feel Gregor beneath her head as she rested against his stomach. She only laid there for a few moments, blinking, before lifting her head slightly.

"Greg?"

Nothing. Sighing slightly, she laid her head back down. She couldn't be certain what time it was, but she knew it still had to be rather earlier, less Lucais would be crying about being left alone for so long. She still felt rather tired as well, which no doubt meant it was too early to get up.

"I wish you would awaken," she mumbled softly to Gregor as she ran a hand lazily over his stomach, rubbing it almost. His abdomen was starting to lose definition and she knew the older they got, it would only become more apparent. Training was not something he did much of anymore.

Not that she could necessarily thrown stones. She found herself mostly busy with other things, more important things. She rarely was able to go down to the arena. Not even to take part in the games or festivities that were held there periodically. Times of peace did not mean that Luxa's life was simple by any amount. She still had to deal with threats from their enemies and allies, as well as handle any problems that arose in the capital. Being a queen was not a fun task. It was actually rather tedious.

"Mmmm. Rub a little lower and we might just be able to start something."

She smiled then, softly in the darkness, before looking up at Gregor's face. He still had his eyes open, but it was obvious he was awake when he took in a deep breath before letting out a soft yawn. His belly heaved at that, but Luxa just cuddled closer to him.

"You sleep too much now."

"What you gonna do? Kick me out?" He reached down then to lay a hand on her head, stroking for a moment before just letting it fall to the side. "Me out on the streets? A horrible thought."

"Some other woman would take you in, I am certain."

"I am too."

That got his stomach a slight slap. "Gregor."

"What?" He lifted his head finally, opening his eyes. "You said it first."

"It is different when I say it."

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"Okay then." He laid his head back again. "Then no other woman, but you would ever want me. There. Is that what you want me to say?"

She only went back to stroking his stomach. Then, after a moment, she said, "I have to spend the day in the war room."

"That's fine. I have Luke then."

"York is causing problems again."

"York?"

"York."

"What's he doing?" Gregor asked holding down a sigh. He had really been serious about that rubbing lower thing.

"He wants to build the walls further out, giving more land to the Fount. I have told him many times, however, that the land does belong to the Fount. It is just not encased in the walls. And if he wishes to build something, he is more than capable, so long as it fits well into the budget. But he insists that he wants a new wall, which never will fit into the budget. I refuse to tear down and replace a wall that has never so much as been touched by a gnawer."

"You know that York is just old," Gregor said then. "And bored. Everyone's bored, recently. There's nothing to do."

"That is what I think as well, but Perdita warned me against hating the boring parts of life."

"What does Perdita know other than plotting points on a map?"

Luxa grinned then before pushing up slightly so that she was staring down at him. He only grinned at that, reaching out to grab her as he sat up, pulling her into his lap.

She was giggling then, that one that she only did when they were alone and it only made him smile more as he scooted back, pulling her along with him until his back was against the headboard.

"You were asleep when I got to bed last night, else we could have already accomplished this."

He only grinned at her words before shaking his head. "I was tired. You know I don't sleep well in the Overland, knowing that you guys are down here, all alone."

"Lucais and I are far from alone, Overlander."

"If you don't have me, then you're alone," he assured her as she leaned forwards to rest her forehead against his.

"We have not even spoken of your visit."

"What's there to talk about? Dad's not doing well, Lizzie's still off on her own and Boots is, well, you know, about to graduate. So there's that." He tilted his head slightly to kiss her. "Boring."

"I fear that life here is not much better."

"Course it is. You're here. Luke's here. Hazard's here. That alone makes it not boring." Reaching up, he cupped her cheek for a moment before moving to run his hand through her hair. He was really just knocking her crown off though, which he promptly sat down on the bed. She glanced at it before back at him.

"How do you sleep in that thing?" he asked. "It'd bother me."

"I hardly feel it anymore."

"Except when you're messing with it constantly to show it off."

"Except for then." Shifting in his lap, she moved to put her hands around his neck, trying to get him back focused on her. "But do you really want to talk about that?"

Sort of. The thing that Hazard said was bothering him. Gregor didn't really believe in Nerissa and her powers, but he never rightly liked the idea of ignoring them either. If there was any validity to the things that she said, they would seem foolish later to have just ignored the warnings they were given.

"It's silly, isn't it?"

"What is?" he asked, frowning as she spoke again.

"That it has only been a week. Seven days. But it feels a lot longer."

"Not silly," he told her as he moved a hand over to grip her waist. "As long as it stays between us that a week apart feels like a year."

"Of course. As if I would want anyone to know that I care for an Overlander."

"Mmmm. Think it's too late on that one, Lux," he told her in an apologetic tone. "The kid kinda blew the cover on that one."

"You do not have to love someone to have a child with them."

"What?" He made a face. "Remind me of that next time I got to the Overland. My parents lied to me, apparently."

"Gregor."

He gripped her waist tighter. "Did you do anything while I was gone?"

"Not particularly, no. I had court as well as went to visit Queen Athena. She is going to resign in three months, you know."

"I know."

"The sooner the better."

"L-Luxa," Gregor complained, but she only shrugged.

"Athena is not someone I know well. She knew my parents and Solovet far better. It will be much easier for me when Nike comes into power."

"Well, she is sort of like family," Gregor said slowly. "But I don't think you should wish any ill will on Athena."

"I am not," she replied with a slight scowl. "I am only looking out for my better interest."

"Yes, well, you are quite good at that, aren't you?"

That time when she shifted, it was purely for the purpose of bringing his attention back to where it belonged.

"I believe we were busy with something else, Overlander?"

"Mmmm." He had no other words that time, only moved to push her shirt up. They most certainly were busy with something else.

That was how Luxa left Gregor sated, sated and planning on sleeping some more. She only went to get Lucais and leave him in the bed with his father for when he himself decided to get up, before heading off to prepare for the day.

It was set up to be a rather normal day, all in all. There was no court and unless something major came up (a series of murders or something along those lines), Luxa would be free until next week on that front. She would have to go speak with the current leader of the nibblers in the coming days, but she figured she could hold that off until Gregor got situated again. He was very clingy when he first got back and never liked her going very far.

Perdita was missing from the war room when she got there, which was just as well. It gave Luxa a chance to look over the changes she had made to the map.

While she was in there, a few of her generals filtered in and out, but she never saw her army head. Eventually she asked someone about her. They quickly informed her that Perdita had been called away late that night by some scout. When it was mentioned to awaken Luxa as well, Perdita told them no, that she would handle everything.

Luxa first emotion from hearing that was anger, mostly towards Perdita and whatever messenger that decided not to bother her. Then she remembered that Gregor had just returned that day and figured they were only trying to be kind.

Not that it made it okay, but at lest it gave some reasoning.

She was soon distracted from that mess however, as not soon after scrolls arrived from the Fount. York was, as always when she told him no, upset and ranting about the injustice being served his way. About how if her mother and father were still in charge, they would not be disrespecting him in such a way. That she was lucky that he even _wanted_ her permission.

Sigh.

Susannah sent a message as well, apologizing and explaining that York had been drinking a lot more recently than usually and had not been in the best moods. Susannah attributed it to the fact that their daughter Hero had just so recently found herself in quite the predicament with some man. Luxa wasn't wholly concerned with it, but knew enough to know that Hero, after being married all of, oh, five months wanted a divorce. York was very stressed over that, Susannah reasoned.

Or York was just a drunk and was now choosing to take his problems out on Luxa. She found that option much more reasonable.

Perdita still wasn't around by the time that Luxa headed out to find Gregor. It was about time for Lucais to be fed and she figured it was as good of time as any for her to eat as well.

As always when he thought that Luxa wouldn't be joining them, Gregor bypassed the dining hall and just ate in the sitting room. Hazard was in there with them, though he had some scrolls all about him, clearly looking for something. He had taken to becoming a translator and spent much time memorizing facts about the other species of the Underland, figuring that would help him connect better to them.

"Luxa," her son greeted as she came into the room. He was seated on the floor, a plate of mostly vegetables in front of him. He seemed to be more focused on playing with the food than eating it.

She leaned down, kissing his head, before heading over to Gregor. He only grinned as she took a seat next to him.

"If I knew that you were coming, I'd have-"

"I wasn't planning to. I thought I'd be much busier today than I am," she told him as he moved his plate of food from his lap to hers. "Gregor, I'm not that-"

"Eat. I'd rather you have something than me." He stood then before going to stare down at their son. "Are you eating, Luke? Or playing?"

"Didi."

"'cause you look like you're just making a mess."

"Yes. Yes." He went back to meshing up his food. "Yes."

"What did you think you were going to be busy with, Luxa?" Hazard asked then, looking up from his spot on the couch opposite hers.

"I just thought Perdita would be around."

"Is she not? Where's she at?" Gregor asked, glancing at her. "That shiners thing?"

"What do you know about that?"

"What don't I know about that?" He shoo his head. "I ran into her sometime yesterday, after dinner, and heard all about it. As if shiners are interesting to anyone. If we didn't need them when we went on long missions, would anyone even care about them?"

"You sound as ignorant as Luxa," Hazard said then which made his cousin frown.

"I am not ignorant."

Gregor just ignored that as he said, "I just meant that the shiners aren't a threat. That doesn't mean that I would ever want anyone to harm them, but-"

"Who even has the effort to harm them? Except for the slugs, that time," Hazard said with a nod of his head.

"Still wondering what Perdita got so busy with," Gregor remarked as he lifted his son up when he reached for him. "I mean, what could there have been for her to go look at that she hasn't even sent word back to us yet?"

"Us?"

Gregor gave her a look. "You know what I mean."

Luxa only shook her head, beginning to eat his lunch. "I do not know. And unless she is dead, she will be getting a rather harsh lecture from me. I am told that she decided to not inform me and just handle it herself. That is not something she has the power to do."

Shrugging, Hazard said, "I am certain that she had a very good reason for it, Luxa."

"Oh, are you, Hazard? Are you really?"

"Lux," Gregor sighed before shaking his head. "Just wait until Perdita returns, alright? Then we can go from there."

"Again with this we business."

"You know as well as I that I have some say in things."

"Do you?"

"Yeah. I do." He bounced their son slightly. "I'll go get him cleaned up then, I guess. Say goodbye, Luke."

He only took to rubbing his messy face on Gregor's shirt, which made the man groan and head out of the room. Luxa only rolled her eyes, though she said nothing.

"Are you going after Perdita then?" Hazard asked then. "To find out what she's doing?"

"No," she told him without a moment's thought. "It would be a lot of effort for something that I more than likely have little interest in. Perdita was most excited yesterday about being able to plot the movement of the shiners. Honestly, something that holds her interest probably would bore me to death."

"I'm sure Gregor would go and check, if you'd like."

She only shook her head at that. Though she hated to admit it, Gregor was right. She was rather clingy. She didn't rather like him leaving the capital for frivolous things unless she was able to accompany him. Especially when he only just returned from the Overland.

"No. If Perdita is not back in the coming hours, I will find someone to send. I might even go myself then," she said before going back to her plate of food. "But I really don't think it will come to that."

More like she really didn't want it to come to that. At all. Then again, if she had known what the alternative would entail, perhaps she wouldn't have been so adverse to the idea.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Nerissa."<p>

The woman looked up at the sound of her name, but just as quickly looked back at the wall in front of her.

"Hello, Overlander."

"Hi," Luke called out as he headed over to the woman. She was seated on the ground and he immediately took that to mean he could climb into her lap. Nerissa only smiled though, allowing this. "Nessa."

"Luke," Gregor sighed as he came further into the prophecy room. To Nerissa, he said, "Sorry. I didn't mean for-"

"I thought that you were above, Gregor?" Nerissa asked as Luke settled out in her lap. He always rather liked Nerissa. She was full of stories to tell him. From visions to prophecies, Nerissa was the best at bedtime stories. "Or was I mistaken?

"I got back yesterday morning," he told her as he walked over. "How have you been?"

"Life is day to day."

Whatever that meant. Sighing, Gregor decided to get straight to the point. For the most part Nerissa made him extremely nervous and awkward. Honestly, if she wasn't one of the few people Luxa cared about, he probably wouldn't even spend any time with her.

"Well, I was kinda wanting to ask you something," Gregor began as Luke reached up to pat the woman's face. "About what you told Hazard the other day?"

"Hazard?"

"Yeah. He said that you told him something about a, well, vision? Or something? Of Luxa?"

"Hmmm." Nerissa was stroking Luke's hair then, as if he were a dog or something. He was really digging it though, so Gregor didn't say anything. "I said something to him? About a vision?"

Gregor held down a groan. "About a crown? Luxa relinquishing her crown?"

"Luxa is abdicating?"

"No, Nerissa. You told Hazard that she was. Remember?"

"No, I do not recall-"

"Then never mind," he groaned, turning to head out the door. "Sorry I bothered you. Come on, Luke."

"Oh, Lucais," Nerissa sighed as he didn't move in the slightest. "What are you going to do when the dark man comes back?"

Gregor paused then, overhearing her words. Slowly, he counted to ten before speaking with his back still turned.

"What dark man, Nerissa?"

"Hmmm?"

"What dark man?" Gregor repeated slowly.

"Oh." Nerissa giggled then which made Luke giggle as well. "The dark man that is going to come and take the kingdom from Luxa."

"What?" He turned back around at that. "Nerissa-"

"But it's okay, Gregor," she said then, smiling slightly. "Luxa will be most happy by it. At least I think."

"You think," he repeated slowly.

"Yes."

"What did this dark man do then, Nerissa?"

"I do not know. That is why I call him dark." She paused then before saying slowly. "His face is shadowed and I cannot see it. Therefore he is dark. You understand? Black. Darkness. I-"

"Right, so, never mind," Gregor said then, shaking his head as he headed to the door once more. He thought she had seen something serious. A dark man? Oh, yeah, right. Rolling his eyes, he said, "Come on, Luke. Let's go down to the arena. Would you like that?"

He jumped up from Nerissa's lap then, chasing after his father. Nerissa only smiled though before going back to the prophecy she was seated in front of.

"_And so the King comes back once more," _she quoted softly as she ran a hand over the wall in front of her, tracing the words as she spoke them. "_Yet still the Queen has never felt so alone before. Can the kingdom become whole once more?"_

Then she began giggling, unable to stop. The dark man. Oh, how surprised Luxa would be. How shocked. And it took so much to do that to her cousin. What a wondrous trick that had been played on them all. What a wondrous trick.

* * *

><p>"York is impossible. I truly do not understand what he wishes of me."<p>

Gregor just stood behind Luxa's chair, staring down at the scroll as he rested his hands on her shoulders, squeezing slightly. "He just got an idea, Luxa, and doesn't want to see it not be taken seriously."

"Just because I have denied a request does not mean that I did not give it serious consideration. Honestly, Gregor, I-"

"It's not me that you need to convince, silly." He took a step back then. "Just tell him that if he wants to discuss it further to come down here."

"Then I would actually have to speak with him, Gregor," she told him with evident disdain. "That is the last thing I want to do."

"Last?"

"Next to continuing to speak with you, yes."

He rolled his eyes. "York won't really come. You know that. And even if he does, then he'll just spend all his time getting drunk here and never actually show up for a meeting."

"Hmmm." Luxa read over the scroll again before sighing and rolling it up and setting it to the side once more. "If anything, he is wasting parchment this way. Perhaps I will invite him to visit. Without my aunt."

"Why without Susannah?

"Because Susannah always wants to talk about my life and reminisce." Luxa visibly shivered. "That is the last thing I ever want."

"Cut her some slack, Luxa," Gregor sighed as he went to take the chair next to her. "You know that after Vikus dies, she'll be the last in her family, right? Other than you and her kids. So just chill some. It has to be hard, you know, to realize that you're the only… Shit, Luxa, I-"

"It doesn't matter," she said before reaching over to a pile of scrolls and pulling another out. "I have more important things to worry about anyhow."

"What do you mean? Perdita?"

"No. She can fend for herself. I will still be having a talk with her, of course."

"Of course."

"Besides, there are big goings on, Gregor," she told him as she wagged the rolled up scroll at him. He only made a face.

"Such as?"

"Crop rotation."

He blinked. "How fun."

"You have no idea."

Shifting in the chair, he hunched over to rest his head in his hands as Luxa went back to work. He wasn't ready to let go of her though.

"I went to the arena today," he told her then, as if an afterthought.

"For what? Did Lucais-"

"No," he sighed. "Not for him. I took him, but I really just wanted to go swing my sword at some stuff."

"You and every other man in the military," she said with obvious disdain. "Honestly, I do not get it. You whine and complain when I send you to battle, hate me for causing us to go to war and how you are losing all the ones you care about, but then when I get us peace, you complain and fight one another. You get drunk and take your aggression out on those weaker than you just because you are unable to attack gnawers, who you beg for me to end wars with when they are going on."

"You know men. Hard to please."

Luxa only shook her head. "If you wish to kill something, do away with York. He has only caused me problems in the past year and-"

"Luxa, calm down, alright? You know that he's just venting right now. So just leave it alone and eventually he'll find someone else to be angry with. If you get angry back at him though, he'll only get madder. And we don't want that. If you would just be the bigger person-"

"Me? Me? You are expecting me to be the bigger person?"

"I'm expecting you to realize that you're the Queen and sometimes that means-"

"Do not dare to tell me how to be a queen, Overlander, less I'll send you right back to New York."

Groaning, he turned his head downwards then, rubbing his eyes into the palm of his hands. Then, softly, he said, "I think I'm gonna go find Hazard and Luke. Go to bed. Will you be okay alone?"

"I am never alone, Gregor."

"Right," he sighed as he slowly pushed back from the table before getting to his feet. "Well, if anything with Perdita comes up, come and get me, huh?"

"I'll consider it," she told him which only made him roll his eyes. Of course.

"Great, Lux. You do that," he sighed, leaning over to kiss her head before straightening. "And I'll consider gracing your bedchamber with my presence tonight."

"Do not tempt me, Overland. I was serious about that New York thing."

"Yeah, but you weren't, so-"

"Just leave. Do you always have to have the last word?"

"Do you?"

It took everything in her power to bite her tongue then, allowing him to leave the room, no doubt feeling victorious. Oh, if only he knew what she planned for him later. If only.

Luxa stayed up well passed Gregor that night, once again working late into the night as she looked over a few proposals from the shiners about their need for even more land than Perdita had mapped out (yeah right) as well as how the gnawers were having problems with a few fliers fishing from areas clearly designated for them (as if she would ever take their side). There was nothing from the nibblers however, so Luxa considered it a pretty good night.

Even though everyone always thought of Luxa as someone who kept a grudge, it was even less known that she was someone who never forgot tremendous kindness. In fact, if it hadn't been for Temp, she'd have probably completely killed off all the crawlers when she came into power. And though he wasn't much help, Ripred at least kept her from becoming as bloodthirsty as Solovet. At least somewhat.

It was, once again, rather late when Luxa was beginning to finish up. She hadn't seen Aurora the entire day though and was kind of disappointed about that. Not to mention Nerissa. Then again, after what Hazard said the day before about her cousin, Luxa had little desire to see her.

Not that Luxa didn't feel the need to eventually hear out whatever little vision her cousin had. She would get around to it one day. It was just…bothersome at that point. If she sat down with Nerissa every single time the woman thought she saw something, Luxa would never get any real work done. It had always been Vikus' domain to deal with Nerissa, even though she was not of technical kin to him, and he had done a fine job of it for years. Even kept her away from Solovet, who would no doubt have much preferred her dead as her brother, if only because it would bring her closer to the throne. Stellovet and Solovet had a lot more in common than just their name.

Still, Vikus was of ailing health at that point. Honestly, his years were short, if even plural. He did not have time to waste on Nerissa and truth be told, Luxa didn't want him to. She was taxing on the most sane and physically fit person. She more or less tried to pawn her off on Hazard, but even he was growing tired of that job.

There was a commotion, suddenly, outside. Luxa heard Perdita's voice almost immediately and smiled slightly. So she had returned. Well, Luxa hoped for the other woman's sake that she had prayed to whatever higher being she believed in, because she was about to get a rather harsh punishment for trying to keep something from Luxa.

The guards posted outside the war room halted Perdita, per protocol, but all she did was request entrance and they allowed her in. It was only she who came into the room though, of which she immediately collapsed to one knee, not even walking over to the table.

"Good," Luxa remarked. "This clearly shows that you know you are remorseful which of course means you know that you have done wrong. Done _me _wrong. I-"

"Forgive me, your grace, for not letting you finish, but there is no time. There-"

"Rise. Quickly." Luxa stood then, hearing the urgency in the older woman's voice. Perdita got to her feet almost immediately, though she would not look Luxa in the eyes. "What is it? What is wrong? What has happened?"

"I…" Perdita took a deep breath then before looking off. Clearly she was struggling with the words.

"What is it?" Luxa insisted, now making her way over to the other woman. "Tell me. Now. Where were you?"

"In the Uncharted Lands," she said slowly. "You know we have a few scouts out that way, not very deep into the land. I… They called for me. For us. And I went, due to the nature of what they were-"

"What is it, Perdita?" Luxa was practically grounding out the words then. When she was nervous, Perdita had a habit of rambling, as if in a subconscious measure to avoid whatever the problem was. "What?"

"It is…I…" She finally made eye contact with Luxa, her face void as she spoke her next words. "It is King Lucien. He was discovered in the Uncharted Lands. He-"

"What?" Luxa turned from her. "Perdita, I am not-"

"Your father was never killed, Luxa," Perdita said slowly. "He lives. And we have brought him back home."

* * *

><p><strong>I know I usually change the name of Luxa's father every story, but that's usually because I'm never satisfied with the last name I pick. I liked Lucien though, way more than Abaddon (it meant war or violence or something) or Lennox (Judith and her siblings are taken from Shakespeare's children's names, so I just picked a name from one of his plays which happened to be Macbeth). Lucien though means light, which is what Luxa's name is derived from, so I think that's just the name that I'm going to use from this point further. I rather like it, actually.<strong>

**Side note, I know I've been lazy about updating The Queen, the Murderer, and the Governor's Wife, but I'm about done with the next chapter, so be expecting that one up next. It's actually what's kept me from the next chapter of The Living Dead as well as some of my original writing, so expect Living Dead right after that one. Hopefully. **


	3. Chapter 3

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 3

It was silent in the hospital wing of the palace, as it was so late. Somewhere, in the distance, a woman was screaming, but she was giving birth no doubt. Luxa wished that someone would just knock her out already.

Perdita was speaking softly to Luxa, her arms clasped behind her back as they stood outside a room, a glass window looking into it. There was a severely underweight man in there, knocked unconscious by something the doctors had given him. He was the only one in the room, but Luxa wasn't going in there. No way.

"-found him on a routine scouting mission. King Lucien was-"

"He is not my father."

"Luxa-"

"He is not my father." She turned from the window then, letting out a slow breath. "He is not. Just looking at him-"

"You have not seen him since you were what, Luxa? Six? Seven?" Perdita sighed. "Just me looking at him, I think that he looks similar to-"

"He is not my father. My father is dead. When this man awakens, have him locked in the dungeons."

"Queen Luxa, you-"

"Either that or drive a sword through his heart." She began walking away then, not even looking back. "He is not my father."

He wasn't.

Perdita was chasing after her then. "If you would only listen to me. He says that his death was planned and-"

"No, Perdita. Enough."

"Not enough. You have to listen."

"No, I do not."

"If we are going to find out the truth-"

"Here's the truth. That is not my father. There."

"He says that when the siege broke out, he was attacked by his own men. That-"

"No! It is not true. Stop-"

"He says-"

"How can he even speak then, Perdita? Gregor's father was lost for a few years and he could hardly function. My father has been dead since-"

"You know that there are other…humans in the Uncharted Lands. Or at least it has always been reported. He claims that he lived with a small tribe, but recently-"

"Enough. Stop talking. And stop following me."

"Luxa-"

"I am going to bed, Perdita. I will deal with this…liar, in the morning."

"But-"

"Another step and you are going to be removed from your position, effective immediately."

That stopped her, though she just stood right in that position, watching Luxa walk away.

"We need to discuss this, Luxa. Please."

She just continued on, right through the palace and to her wing of it. She marched right into her bedchamber, where she found Gregor sleeping, once again, in the middle of the stupid bed with his arms stretched out. Usually that would annoy her. At that moment though, she just wanted him and needed him to make it all go away.

"Gregor," she whispered before rushing over to the bed and climbing into it. He must not have been very tired, because he awoke immediately as she pressed her hands against his chest.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He was clearly panicked, as he usually was when she startled him awake. It probably had to do with the horrors of war or something. Whatever. She did not care about it at that moment. "Luxa?"

"Kiss me."

"Wh-What?" He struggled to sit up, but she was leaning heavily against him then though she didn't move to straddle him like usual.

"I want you."

"Luxa-"

"Please. Take me."

"What happened?"

She stared into his eyes then, her face shadowed from the single torch in the room. "Now."

"Okay," he mumbled before reaching out to push her down. "If it's really that important, well, you might just be in luck. I-"

"No." She reached out to press a finger against his mouth. "Now."

"Right. Now." He settled against her when she was finally laying on her back on the bed. Reaching for her shirt with one hand, he pushed it up slightly before leaning closer to her neck. When he moved to kiss her though, she pushed at his head.

"I thought-"

"Perdita has brought a man back from the Uncharted Lands that claims to be…to be my father."

"Wh-What?" He pulled back slightly. "What are you-"

"She says that-"

"But I thought that he was dead. When your mother was killed in-"

"That…man is not my father. He is lying. I know that he is lying. I-"

"Luxa, then what are we doing here?" Gregor moved off her then before out of the bed. "We have to-"

"No. We do not. It is a foolish man that has nothing to do with me." Sitting up, she reached out to grab his hands before tugging slightly. "You are going to…_fuck_ me and we are going to forget about it."

"But-"

"It is nothing more than an imbecile trying to cause me problems. It will not work. My father is dead. He has been since I was a child."

"But are you-"

"I want you." She stared up at him with a slight devious look. "Please?

He groaned before wiggling his hands out of her and reaching out to grab her face with them. Taking a step closer, he whispered, "But this is just…weird. I should go talk to this guy then and straighten this all out."

"What? Why would you-"

"Because I'm your…. Because I'm the man. And if some guy is going to say some horrible shit like that to you, force you to even contemplate… No."

"Gregor-"

"No." He let her go. "I'm going to go-"

"You are going to get back in bed," she cut him off. "And he is nothing, but an emaciated, crazed man. It would be wrong of you to do anything to him. You are, after all, a very skilled, muscular-"

"You are not seducing me," he told her with a frown. "I mean, you are, but you shouldn't be trying to. Luxa, we need to go-"

"You need to fuck me."

Another groan. God, she knew how much he liked when she said that word.

"Luxa, I-"

"Gregor, if I am not concerned, then why are you?"

"I think you are concerned. Why else would we be having sex again so soon? You clearly-"

"Yes, Gregor, because if I really thought that was my father, the first thing I would want you to do would be…fuck me."

"Stop it."

"What?" She bounced slightly on the bed, trying to look better than she felt. Because honestly, she felt horrible. "Can I not want you, Gregor? Is that so out of the realm of possibilities?"

"Luxa-"

"Or is it that you do not want me?"

"Believe me, it's not that."

"Then fuck me, Gregor." Then, looking off, she said softly, "It is why you are here after all. Whore."

"Lux-"

"If you are going to be so difficult-"

"I want to go check this guy out and make sure that everything's okay. I-"

"He is unconscious currently and will not awaken until the morrow." She looked back into his eyes. "Now will you?"

Slowly, he moved to get back into bed while mumbling, "I just want to know that you are okay."

"I am, Gregor. I know that my father, above all, is dead. Believe me. Just take me already."

It wasn't until much later, when Gregor had fallen asleep, curled up facing the other way, that Luxa was able to press her face against his back, unashamed of the tears that slowly welled up in her skewed shut eyes. Because as much as she hated it, underneath the dirt and filth as well as the ragged beard, that man was her father. And she knew it.

* * *

><p>"I thought I told you to lock him up."<p>

Perdita grimaced down at the map before her before slowly raising her gaze to Luxa, who was coming into the room. Then, slowly she sat down the marker she had poised to set before saying, "If you are going to throw the King in the dungeons, Luxa, it is going to be by yourself. I and my men are not-"

"He is not the King. He-"

"Until it can be proven otherwise, it is."

"You-"

"Have you gone to see him? His story, it adds up."

"In what way-"

"No one ever saw his body. No one still living, at least. Solovet personally handled everything. And you know that the bodies of your parents were burned along with everyone else that was killed in the siege."

"What are you trying to say, Perdita?"

She took a deep breath before softly saying, "If she was able to poison the entire Underland, it is not completely impossible for her to have-"

"Is that what he is saying then?" Luxa stared hard at the woman. "Is that…man speaking of my grandmother as-"

"He says that she-"

"I am finished with it." Luxa turned then, heading back out of the room. "He will not speak of Solovet in such a way. He is-"

"Luxa, wait." Perdita was quick to chase after her, though when she got to her, she only followed her down the hall at their quickened pace. "I have already sent a message to York and Susannah asking they come immediately to help with identification. And Howard has looked in at him, but says he cannot say for certain yes or no. And with your permission, I would like to have Vikus and Nerissa both-"

"No," Luxa hissed. "You will not have either of them involved. This is nothing more than-"

"Other people in the palace have identified him, Luxa. Soldiers. Guards. They all agree that-"

"It is just so convenient, is it not? For him to come back now? Wake up, Perdita. This is not possible. My father was murdered by King Gorger, along with my mother."

"And he does not deny that, Luxa. He says that, yes, there most certain was a siege. And yes, he witnessed Judith being murdered. He was there. But he was not fatally wounded. That Solovet was there and had-"

"Stop speaking of my grandmother in such a way. She loved my mother. She loved me. She would never-"

"Please, Luxa, just allow him to speak with you. Perhaps share something with you, something that only you would know?"

"Why are you so insistent then, Perdita? Would you rather that I not-"

"Of course not. You are my ruler, you always have been, but I do not wish for something horrible to happen because of this. Division." She paused. "But you are the Queen. It was ultimately up to you. I do not… There is no protocol for this, after all. This is out of my jurisdiction, I would think. I mean…only the day before I was so busy with the shiners… I rather like that aspect of the job, but this-"

"Go then, Perdita," Luxa sighed then, coming to a stop. Then, looking at the older woman, she sighed. "Another scroll came from a scout last night about it. I know that you have no dealings in any of this. It is my call, after all, that matters. The shiners are yours."

She bowed her head then before saying, "Thank you," and rushing off.

Luxa was still worked up then, of course, but was allowed some sort of relief to have Perdita out of her hair. The woman knew war plans, fine, but she had meltdowns over anything remotely human. Ugh.

The man, not her father, was in the same room as she had seen him last time. The only difference was that he wasn't curled up in the bed, but rather on his feet, facing the other way when she entered. He was actually dressing, she was pretty sure. Not that she cared. She hoped that they would strip him naked and hang him from the high spike on one of the walls surrounding the city as punishment for ever attempting to tarnish the name of not only her father, but also her grandmother.

"I will speak with you in a minute," the man said when he heard someone come through the partitioned doorway.

"No. You will speak with me now."

He snorted, still buttoning up his pants. "I said-"

The man stopped short though as he glanced over his shoulder. He was no doubt expecting a doctor or something. When he saw Luxa behind him though, he froze for a moment before slowly turning around.

Then they were just staring at each other, neither speaking. He had shaved since the night before, no doubt when he bathed, as he was no longer as rugged. Even his hair had been shaved back, how he- how her _father _used to wear it. It hurt even more to see him then, clean cut, then it had as an emaciated fool.

Then he breathed and looked like he was pained. With half a breath, the man whispered her name before coming forwards. Luxa just as quickly pulled her blade, causing him to come to a stop.

"Wh-"

"Stay back."

"Lux-"

"Do not-"

"It's…me." He patted his chest then, staring her in the eyes. "Lucky. Remember?"

Hearing that made her shut her eyes, as she hadn't heard that in a long time, but still she held face, her sword pointed in front of her, in a defensive stance.

"You do remember, yes? You were unable to say-"

"You," she got out, though her voice was shaky. Taking a deep breath and opening her eyes, she began again. "You are not my father. I do not know who you are, but-"

"I am, Luxa. Look at me. Please." He took another step closer, though she only wagged the sword at him. He was unconcerned. "You look so much like-"

"I will cut your tongue from your mouth and mount it on my wall before I allow you to say-"

"Say my wife's name?" He was staring her so hard in the eyes then, so deeply that she had to shut her eyes again. "I know what they told you, Luxa. I know that you think-"

"I _know_ that my father is dead. That the King is dead. I-"

"The King is far from dead, Luxa," he told her then, his voice taking a dark turn. "That woman, she tried to have me murdered. She-"

"Do not speak-"

"I will speak however I wish about-"

"How are you still living then?" Luxa was staring to break some. "If Solovet wants someone dead, they die. How do you continue to draw breath?"

"When the siege broke out, I was with your mother. You know that. When she was killed, I was also wounded, though I was able to kill the gnawers that had made their way into the royal wing. They had gotten my leg. A nasty gash. I still have the scar. Would that prove it to you? If I showed you-"

"Why are you still alive?"

He took a deep breath before saying, "When my guards came in, after the siege, when the trumpets ceased, I thought it was to rescue me. It was not. They bound and gagged me before taking me a back way out of the palace. I heard them. They were arguing. Solovet had ordered them to kill me, but one of them, Argus, I knew him well and he was hesitant. They were supposed to kill me outside of the palace and dump my body into the waterway. After all, if any saw my body in the palace and saw sword wounds, there would be questions. But Argus did not wish to. He was fearful. It is bad luck to kill a king, after all.

"But by the same token, they were not prepared to let me go. That would mean failing…Solovet after all. So they compromised to leave me for dead in the Uncharted Lands. Deep in them. I was disoriented and confused. One left with me with wineskin, but nothing else. Their bonds said nothing. Then they took off, leaving me in a baron land, hands bound, gagged, to fend for myself."

Luxa had stopped listening though. How could she listen to any of that? It was rubbish, after all. Why would Solovet ever do that? It made no-

"I did not like your grandmother, even before that," the man was continuing. "You know this. You have to at least remember something-"

"Shut up. Shut up. Who are you to-"

"Shut…up?" He was confused by her words, but then only shook his head. Children in the Underland were, like most their age, not unknown to make their own slang. He could tell well enough what she wanted. "Luxa, look at me. I did everything to get back to you. I have spent these years trying to-"

"You speak as if you were not gone a day," she remarked then rather harshly. "As if-"

"I met other people out there, you understand? I found a tribe that took me in. They tried to help me find my way home. I tried to find my way as well. But the Waterway does not run out there. The water was not from our system. It ran the opposite way, in branching ways. I had no directional help. I could not find-"

"So what then? Where is your tribe? Where is your family now?"

"They were not my…family. You and Judith are the only-"

"Do not say my mother's name!"

"I will say-" Then he stopped himself, just watching her for a moment before letting a slow breath. "Luxa, just…let me at least touch you. I have dreamt of this. Of seeing you. Let me-"

"No." Her voice was hollow then. "You are not-"

"I am, sweetheart. I love…" He let out a slow breath then before shaking his head. "What can I do, Luxa? To prove to you who I am? To prove that it was not me that was killed that day? I lived. You have to know me, somewhere inside of you. I spent seven years, Luxa, caring for you, and you do not even recognize me?"

"Y-You are only here for-"

"Your crown? Love, it was always my plan to give it to you when I thought you were old enough. I was not going to horde if from you. It pleases me evermore to see you now, with it around your head. And from what I hear, you have done nothing, but good. I do not plan on taking anything back." He was almost crying then, though the tears just stayed welled in the corners of his eyes. "I just want you."

She stared hard at him for a moment before slowly sheathing her sword once more. Her stance however told him to stay right where he was.

"My aunt and uncle are coming from the Fount," she was saying then as she stared anywhere, but at him. "And if they can identify you and verify, then I will inform Vikus of this and he will-"

"Vikus," the man said slowly. "Yes. Yes. Let me see him now. I-"

"You will stay away from my grandfather," Luxa hissed at him then. If hearing of Solovet's death nearly paralyzed the old man, hearing of her most recent escapade might just kill him. "You are confined to the hospital wing. Less you wish to fess up now-"

"I love you. I love you so-"

"Fine. You have made your choice. Stay." She turned her back then, heading out of the room. "But when my uncle and aunt confirm what I know, that you are not my father, I will put you to death."

"Do whatever you need, tiny. I'll be here when you are ready."

It wasn't until she was far out of his hospital room that she was able to lean against a wall and replay the last thing he had called her in her head.

What if…what if he was her father?

* * *

><p>"Luxa." Lucais was overjoyed at that sight of his mother, as he had not seen her the entire day. It was rare for him to be without her. Even though Gregor left for periods of time to deal with war or go spend time above ground, Luxa was always around. Always. "Hi."<p>

Luxa immediately went over to her son, who only reached up for her, ignoring his toys as he opened and closed his tiny fists, waiting to be lifted up. She did so immediately, of course, kissing him on his head while she was at it.

"Hey, Lux." Gregor, who had been pacing around the room, immediately was at her side. "I didn't think you'd want to be bothered by Luke today, so-"

"He is not a bother, Gregor," she told him, frowning slightly as the toddler kissed her cheek. "He is my child."

"Yeah, I know, but-"

"And today is nothing. No different than the day before."

"Luxa-"

"That man is not my father, Gregor. I have told you that."

"Lux, Hazard's been hanging around the palace, you know, eavesdropping like usual," Gregor said slowly, watching her. "And he says that people are talking. People that would have been older than you at the time and would remember more. Maybe-"

"Stop talking." She bounced Lucais in her arms, who responded by wrapping his arms tightly around her neck. "You know nothing of what is happening, Overlander. You have no-"

"When does York get here?"

She gave him a look for that one before walking around him and going over to one of the couches in the sitting room, though she kept Lucais in her lap when she sat down. Gregor took a deep breath before slowly going to stand before her once more.

"Lux, let me go have a crack at this guy, huh? Would you like that?"

"No, I would not."

"Luxa, if he is or if he's not isn't important. I'm only trying to look out for you. It's my job to-"

"Silence, whore."

"Luxa-"

"I can handle this myself, Gregor," she told him with a harsh look. "I promise you. When York and Susannah arrive, they will prove that he is a fraud and I will be able to kill him."

"Don't sound too enthused," he sighed as he slowly moved to sit down next to her. "I just want to protect you. I rarely get to protect you."

"You kill things that would gladly kill me if you were not around. You protect me at every turn. You have since we were eleven."

"I kill things that if I did not, you probably would probably kill yourself."

"Not the Bane. You did that. Not Gorger. He…well, he fell to his death, but you were there."

"Thanks, babe."

She laid her head against his shoulder. "I am trying to feel badly for myself. Could you stop feeling emasculated for a moment, please?"

"Sorry," he told her with a sigh. "I was only-"

"Today is bad and I fear tomorrow shall be worse. Let us just sit in silence for a moment or two, please?"

"Of course, Lux."

Luke wasn't feeling it though and immediately took to bouncing in Luxa's lap, clapping his hands and giggling.

"Luxa. Didi. Luxa. Didi. Hi. Hi."

Luxa just smiled softly for the first time that day as Gregor held out a hand for his son to grab onto.

"It does not take long to get from the Fount," Luxa said finally, speaking softly to Gregor. "They should be here soon. And then…and then it will all be decided."

"Have you thought any about if he really is?"

"Gregor-"

"Lux, it's not improbable that Solovet… I mean, she did kinda use people for her own gain."

"Is that what Hazard heard? What people are saying?"

He shrugged as best he could with her leaning into him. "The boy speaks a thousand languages basically. He's pretty much gotten this human one down."

"I would imagine," she mumbled miserably. Then, after a thought, she said, "It's something that I always wanted, Gregor. This. For this to happen. But now that it might be-"

"I get it, baby. Just-"

"No, Gregor. You do not. Your parents are living. You-"

"I thought my dad was gone too, Luxa. And I had to travel to this fantasy world to save him. I-"

"You never thought for a second though that he was dead. At worst, that he had run out on your mother, yes? That is very different than dead. That is very different than having his body mangled by…gnawers."

He turned his head slightly to kiss hers. "Tell me what you want me to do. I'll do it. You want me to be with you when York and Susannah see him?"

"No. I just want you to stay here with Lucais."

"I can do that. But if you need me, just say something, alright?"

"Luxa." Luke let go of Gregor's hand before shifting to lay against his mother. Then he hiccupped. That made him giggle…until he hiccupped again and didn't like the feeling. Then he was whining. Luxa only patted his tummy before taking a deep breath and getting to her feet.

"I have to go," she said as she went to drop her son back in front of her toys. "Maybe we'll see each other for dinner, Greg."

"Do whatever you need, Lux. I'll be in here whenever you need me."

It wasn't until she was out of the royal wing that Luxa remembered where she had heard that before. Then it made her grimace and shake her head. It felt much, much better when Gregor said it.

Much.

* * *

><p>"Anything happen to the shiners since the morning?"<p>

Perdita looked shocked to see Luxa as she came into the room before looking right back down at the map.

"Queen Luxa," she greeted before clearly her throat. "And no. Not particularly. I think that perhaps I might head to speak with them at some point this week. Perhaps. You are already to see the nibblers, though I suppose this means that might be delayed now."

"If this does all not get cleared up soon, then yes, I would find that best," Luxa agreed slowly.

"A-And is there any news on the…situation that has sprung up?" Perdita asked cautiously. "I have heard nothing. Not that I was discussing you with anyone or anything, but-"

"Nothing, Perdita. York should be here in the coming hour." Luxa only sighed again as she made her way over to the table. "That is not what I actually wished to speak with you on."

"No?"

"No," she said. "Not completely at least."

"Then what is it? Speak away."

"I wish to…apologize for what I said earlier in the day."

"And what would that be?"

She gave her a look. "Do not act aloof. I was rather rude to you before and you know it. It was wrong of me to treat you in such a way."

"No, no," Perdita said, hanging her head again. "I should not have involved myself in such a thing. But when the messenger came claiming that some of my men had found the…King, I only thought it best for me to deal with it considering your, well, possible close relation to the situation."

"Perdita, the man is not-"

"I know," she told her with a nod of her head. "I know. And I hope that he is not. It would be a rather horrible thing to consider of Solovet. To be honest, I was never truly convinced that it was even her that commissioned that bill to make that poison that caused the Prophecy of Blood."

Luxa blinked. "W-Well, I would not go that far. She is my grandmother, but-"

"And that time that she had her son break the dyke, why, I am not so sure she gave that command either."

"Perdita-"

"Or what of the time that she managed to-"

"Enough." Luxa huffed then before bringing a hand up to run it over her flushed face. "That is enough, Perdita."

When you laid it all out, her grandmother was not the best woman in the world. But still. Luxa knew without a doubt that she had not killed (or at least attempted to) her father. It wasn't possible. Solovet was a lot of things. A murderer, someone who supported genocide of an entire species, as well as possible the coldest human to ever live. But you know what she wasn't? Someone who hurt Luxa intentionally. And killing (or intending to) her father wouldn't only hurt Luxa, but it would crush her. Destroy her.

And ultimately, deep down, Solovet loved Luxa. She had to. Fine, she never said it. Not really. But it just went without saying. Right? Right? Her own mother, Judith, she did not say it much. At all. And Luxa far enjoyed that to the likes of Susannah, who said it incessantly, or Vikus who felt the need to constantly say it as well. It was better to have cold and heartless than loving and overbearing.

Wasn't it? It had to be. It just had to be.

"Queen Luxa," she heard from behind her then. Turning, she saw a messenger making his way passed the guards and into the room. He took to bowing to her, but Luxa only rolled her eyes.

"Yes?" She only looked at him. She had already learned that her father might not have been killed at all, but rather done away with by her grandmother. What could the messenger possible say that would be worse than that? "Rise. What is that you wish to tell me?"

Nodding, the man got to his feet once more. Keep his head bowed however, he spoke in a clear voice. "Your uncle and aunt have arrived from the Fount and are ready to…view the man for identification."

Luxa sighed, nodding once to Perdita who only made a stony face back to her. Their conversation serve just as well at a later date, after all. Finally, it was time for the real fun to begin.


	4. Chapter 4

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 4

"-talk about the wall, but when I saw that this was what you wanted, why, I thought it was a joke at first," York was saying softly as they walked through the palace. "Now that I am here though-"

"This is all so horrible," Susannah spoke up then. York frowned at her for cutting him off, but then just shrugged and let her go. "Not horrible, Luxa, of course, if this is your father. Then it is wonderful, of course, that Lucien is still alive, but the thought of Solovet doing such a thing…I just…"

"There, there," York sighed as he patted her on the shoulder before looking at his other side where Luxa was walking along with them. "Susannah is most distressed by all of this. I shall go in first, yes? See if I can figure this man out."

"There is no possible way that he is my father," Luxa told them both then. For, oh, the twentieth time since they had arrived. "He just is not. And you are merely here to confirm this so that I can kill him."

"L-Luxa-"

"Oy!" York patted his niece on the back, cutting his wife off. "I agree, Luxa. And I will wholeheartedly enjoy watching you kill him."

"York." Susannah frowned at him. "Behave."

"I am behaving, Suzy."

"Mmmm."

Luxa only rolled her eyes, wishing that she had some other family members to identify the man. Or rather call the man out on his shit, as Gregor would say. She liked that option better.

Still, York and Susannah were the only ones left, really. There was Vikus and Nerissa, fine, but they were both usually too weak to do anything strenuous. Or involving pressure. The last thing she wanted to do was pressure either of them.

"Is Howard working today, Luxa? Do you know?" Susannah was asking then. "I have not seen him since his wedding."

"I honestly have no idea," Luxa said, frowning at the question. "I do not speak with Howard much."

"He is quite boring, no? Since he got married? All men are." York patted Luxa again. "Where is Gregor anyhow? I thought that he would be-"

"Someone has to care for Lucais, York. And he does not take well to nannies."

"Nonsense. All children like nannies. They are kind, and young, and usually barely of age-"

Susannah literally pinched York's arm then, but he only grinned before slinging that arm over her shoulders. All forgiven.

Ugh.

When they made it to the hospital wing, Luxa led them right to where that man was being held. There were guards posted outside his room, all dressed in their armor, helmets and all. Susannah's eyes did not even glance at them though, only looked through the window. When she saw the man in there, she had to hold on to York to keep herself from collapsing.

"L-Lucien!" Then she was pushing away from him, running passed the guards who, after seeing who it was, did not stop her. They were charged with keeping people in, anyhow. "Lucien!"

"Susannah." York took off after her, his voice deep and concerned then. There were few things York cared about. And they actually had names. Susannah. Howard, Stellovet. Hero. Kent. Chim. Rhea. Luxa. Ale. Everything else was just a complication and was to be dealt with as such. "Stop. I told you that I would go in first. Suzy!"

Luxa groaned as she headed into the room as well. Susannah had managed to wrap her arms around the man, who was in the process of getting out of the bed. He was clearly in shock, but quickly tried to return the hug.

"I did not think this was…possible. That you were really…I thought…" Susannah was crying, but then, Susannah was always crying. Over everything. "Do you think that means…that my sister is alive?"

"Susannah." York was not joking. He just reached out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her away from the man. "Knock it off."

"But-"

"York. Susannah." The man was slowly moving to walk towards them. Then he saw Luxa and stopped. It did cause him to grin though. "Luxa. Here. Now you saw it. Your aunt, she recognized-"

"Susannah is easily fooled by many things," Luxa retorted. That made Susannah frowned at her, but York only shrugged. It was true enough. "This proves nothing."

"I mean not to lose patience, my dear, but-"

"Oy. My head." York kept one hand on Susannah though he used to other to rub at his eyes. "Luxa, I hate to say it, but-"

"You are a drunk. What do you know?"

"Is this the part where I speak and tell you of things that I only I would know? Or something of that sort?" The man was clearly ready to get things going. "I-"

"No," Luxa ground out. "It is not that time."

"Of course, Luxa. I have waited this long. A few more minutes is nothing."

That only annoyed her more. "You are not my-"

"Do you remember the time that you and Judith were fighting and she threw wine on you?" Susannah was asking then. "Or the time that the three of us went to that engagement in the Fount and-"

"Susannah," Luxa groaned while York only rubbed at his eyes harder.

"Dear, I think he is supposed to be proving something to us by telling us what he remembers. Not you telling him things and him agreeing," York told her gently.

"Oh, I know, but it is so hard for me to…I am just so…happy. Lucien-"

"Stop calling him that," Luxa ordered her aunt then while the man finally sighed.

"Perhaps it would be better for us all, Luxa, if you gave me a few minutes alone with Susannah and York?"

"No," she said then, frowning. "I-"

"Luxa." York slowly lifted his head to look at her. "Please. This is the only way."

"No," she said, crossing her arms. "You both are clearly already swayed by him. This is not… No. He is a liar. Can you not see it?"

"Just a few minutes, Luxa," York tried again. "Please."

She leveled her gaze at the man before slowly turning. "Fine. But Susannah's decision has no bearing on anything."

"L-Luxa," her aunt got out through her sniffling. She only ignored them though, heading out of the room. No matter what, she knew without a doubt that that man was not her father. It was impossible.

…Wasn't it?

* * *

><p>"Now that Luxa is gone, perhaps you can tell us for yourself what happened?" York began after his niece was long gone. Lucien, being rather weak, had taken a seat once more on his cot. "I was told that Solovet plotted your death?"<p>

"Yes." The man hung his head then, shaking it slightly. "I do not know everything, of course, but-"

"Is Judith truly dead?" Susannah asked timidly then. "Do you know?"

"I saw her die, Susannah," the man said softly. "She is most certainly dead. And your mother had nothing to do with that."

That made her cry some more, which made the man frown before standing. He motioned her over, allowing her instead to take a seat on the cot. York only sighed as he watched his wife before just shaking his head.

"Calm down," the man said as he patted Susannah on the shoulder. "It's alright. Surely you are still not worked up over Judith death? She would only tease you for it if she knew that you were still tearful over something that happened so long ago."

"I know," Susannah sniffled. "I only…this is too much for me."

"For you?" He patted her head. "You've amputated limbs, preformed invasive surgeries, and delivered children. But this upsets you?"

"Terribly."

York let out a slow breath before looking around the room. "I will admit that this is a lot to take in. I mean, Solovet was a cold, cold woman, but to do something like this, she would have had to have been-"

"I do not care if anyone believes me. I just want to be with my daughter," the man said as he turned from Susannah to York. "That is my only concern. I mean no disrespect to either of you, as I have thought of you both many times, but- Not to mention, York, I am slightly shocked to see you living. Considering."

"Do not fret. I am still quite the drunk."

Sniffling, Susannah said softly, "York came to the capital the second we heard of the siege. He rescued Luxa. She was-"

"Now, Susannah, there will be time for that later," York said, hardly glancing at her. "We are supposed to be interviewing him, after all."

"My mind is not he best," the man told them slowly.

"Whose would be, if you lived through being left for dead in the Uncharted Lands," York told him with a nod of his head. "But Luxa wants concrete proof. She is most disbelieving in most things."

"Things have not been easy for her," Susannah agreed. "Solovet and Vikus raised her after…after."

Snorting, the man said then, "That would explain a lot."

"The point I was attempting to make is that you are going to have to tell us something undeniable for us to believe it is truly you, Lucien."

"Even though Susannah recognized me on sight?"

"Luxa is most like Judith," Susannah said softly. "She thinks of me as a good medic, but not good in most other fields."

"You are an excellent wife, if it makes you stop crying," York told her gruffly before nodding at the man before him. "Begin."

"Well," he said slowly. "You were all there when I found out that Judith was pregnant. In the war room? We were in a vicious war with the gnawers. And I was the one, York, that told you that Susannah was pregnant with your oldest child. On accident. When you got home from war? And Susannah was upset because Judith was being mean to her about the whole thing. You both moved to the Fount, why, the very next day if I recall.

"Then, of course, I was there when Hamnet broke that damn dyke and ran off. I remember you, Susannah, crying so very much. Then again, that is not uncommon. You cried at Luxa's birth as well as the first time Luxa skinned a knee."

York frowned, not knowing about the last one, but Susannah only shrugged.

"She was so sad, York, and crying, and I could not comfort her. Judith was upset with me for it and-"

"My brother and his wife," the man began again, ignoring Susannah's defense. "Edward and Valeria. I remember both their children. Henry and Nerissa. The girl, she was not right in the head. We knew it not soon after Valeria had her that she was…disturbed. The child's eyes, she would…follow things with them. Even as a baby. Things that we could not see. Then, when she got older, Valeria was convinced that she was a soothsayer and had the ability of second sight.

"And of course your children, Susannah. Howard, his sister. And the twins. I remember them, of course. It was a very hard pregnancy. You almost lost one of them, yes?"

"Hero," Susannah agreed softly.

"And…" He closed his eyes tightly then before slowly opening them and beginning to blink. With a slow breath, he said, "I do not know how any of this will help convince Luxa, however. Do hope that you all are-"

"Do you know?" York asked softly then. "You brother and his wife, they were killed during the siege. Did you know that?"

"A-Aye," he said slowly. "Of course. They were killed before Judith and I. I saw…Valeria's death. There was nothing I could do for her. Then I heard the men that captured me, Solovet's men, speak of Edward's death. It was all for the better. All Solovet needed then was for Henry and Nerissa to be done away with."

"Henry-" Susannah started, but her husband gave her a long look until she silenced herself. The man, no, Lucien wasn't listening anyways. York just held his head higher, staring at him.

"I do not know what it shall take for Luxa to believe it, but you are my brother," York said then, nodding his head. "And the last one at that."

"We were never brothers," Lucien told him then. "You liked Hamnet though, if I remember correctly."

"Eventually. What choice did I have when Susannah would invite him to the Fount so frequently?"

"And Ed liked you," he added softly. "A lot. He thought that you were a good drinking buddy."

"If I called every man that enjoyed such a feat with me my brother, why, I would then have to call their sisters my sisters. And that would mean a lot of incest on my part-"

"York!" Susannah's head shot up at that, but he only grinned before taking a step forward.

"Before you, Suzy." He reached out to cup her face in his hands. "Besides, it's not as if anyone is around. It's just Lucien."

Just Lucien. Susannah glanced over at him before shutting her eyes tightly.

"It is good to have you back then," York said after wiping the tears from his wife's eyes and turning to face the man once more. "King Lucien."

"I do not think I can reclaim that title until my daughter so chooses."

Reaching over, York patted him on the shoulder. "Then you have much work to do."

* * *

><p>"News is spreading of the King's return, Luxa. Nurses, doctors, guards. They are all furthering the gossip. You are going to have to make a statement on whether or not you believe him to be soon."<p>

She just sat there, hardly listening as Perdita spoke. She was seated in the war room, hoping that something, anything, had popped up to keep her preoccupied. It had not. There was nothing. She was going to have to deal with that…_man_ and soon.

"Of course," Perdita was going on. "We could always focus on my upcoming journey to visit the shiners. I would like to get a message out to them soon on the subject. I wish to make sure that my map- Uh, the map is correct."

Ugh. If the woman spoke any more about that damn map, Luxa very well-

"Queen Luxa."

A messenger was coming into the room. Good. Before he even had a chance to bow or kneel, Luxa asked him what he wished for, rising from her seat.

"It is your aunt and uncle, your grace," the man was saying then. "They request your presence immediately in the royal wing."

"Good." Luxa looked to Perdita then. "I sign off on…whatever it was that you were requesting."

"Thank you."

"Mmmm."

With that, Luxa left the room in quite the hurry. If Susannah and York were in the royal wing, clearly that meant that they were wishing to speak in private. About the death of an imposter.

She made a record time down to the royal wing, almost becoming overjoyed with the thought of killing that stupid man. It was not until she was actually there and made it to the sitting room that she stopped and realized it was not a victory. Or at least not the one she was expecting.

There was York and Susannah, seated on one of the couches. Per usual, York had Susannah pulled half on his lap as she constantly tried to unsuccessfully escape his clutches. Every time she wiggled, he just pulled her in tighter. Like a twister.

Across from them, however, was…that man, pacing back and forth in the room, looking around. When Luxa entered, he stopped and grinned at her. She was not nearly as excited.

"Here you are then," York greeted her with a smile. "We have cleared him, my dear. Not just Susannah either. This is certainly your father. You can bring in Vikus and Nerissa now, should you like. It makes no difference."

She only frowned at him. "You have proven as incompetent as usual, York."

"Luxa-"

"Tell me, Luxa, what it will take to prove this to you? York and Susannah, they knew me as best as anyone," the man said. "I've known Susannah since she was young and her I. I know that it is hard for you, but-"

"Lucien is dead. There is no possible way that-"

"There is a way, Luxa, and it most certainly happened."

"Do not speak to me. You are lucky that I have not locked you away yet."

It was clear that the man was starting to lose his patience. "You have minutes, Luxa, to either have a real conversation with me before I claim rank and take that crown from you."

"You come so much as one step closer to me and I will-"

"You will what? Kill your father?"

"You are not my father!"

"Calm down," York sighed, finally letting Susannah slide out of his lap. Standing then, he went to take stand between the two of them. "Take a breath. Both of you. Luxa, I know that this is a hard thing to realize, but your aunt and I know without a doubt who this man is. It is not something that I am believing easily. In fact, if I did not know without a doubt that I had not a drop of liquor today, I would think I was drunk and dozing. Yet I am not. This is very real. And you have to accept that."

She only took to glaring at him then. "What do you know anyhow? You said it yourself. You are nothing, but a drunk. You-"

"What of the time that you had that little sheep, Luxa? And I fought Judith to let you keep it, but she threw such a fit over it's bathroom habits that I had to get rid of it?" The man was speaking then, looking passed York and at her. "Or the time that my bond Apollo and I took you to see the spinners with us and you broke your arm exploring their lands alone while I was speaking to their queen? And I carried you all the way back, crying loudly. And your mother refused to let me take you anywhere again, even though you went with me the next week to the crawler territory?

"And what about when you and your cousins wanted to see the shiners festival? When they honor their…something. I do not remember. And they all light up their butts and fly around? So I took you and Henry and Nerissa to see them, but half way there, the girl had a panic attack and-"

"Stop it," Luxa got out then, though her tone had lost some of its malice and mostly all of its fight. "Stop speaking."

"No, Luxa. Not until you admit the truth. I fought every single day of my life to get to this moment and you are trying to ruin it for me. And for what? Did you not wish every single day for me to be back in your life the way that I wished for you? Because I will do this every day, I will fight with you every day, if that's what it takes. I belong here with you, Luxa, in my palace. In our palace. I'm not leaving, Luxa. So do your worst."

The thing was, that she didn't have anymore to throw at him. She honestly didn't. It was that feeling in her gut that she had been mistaking as distaste the entire time mixed with distrust that was slowly turning out to be fear. She was afraid of what it meant. What all of it meant. It was one thing to write Solovet off as a bad person, but to capitalize off her daughter's death and not take a moment for grief before attempting to do away with her son-in-law wasn't the sign of a person with a dark heart. It was the sign of a person with no heart. It meant that Solovet didn't care about Judith. At all. And if she could not even care for her own daughter, what did that mean for her granddaughter?

And even without dragging Solovet into the equation, that still left a big hole in Luxa. She had been living her life for the past, oh, nineteen or so years as an orphan. What grew inside her for the gnawers over her parents deaths was pure, unadulterated hatred. She had such a distinct abhorrence that even Vikus' kind heart had not been able to get through to her for years.

But to find out that the entire time, she had not been an orphan was just groundbreaking. Not to mention troubling. Because for as much loathing as Solovet spewed for the gnawers, it meant that she was no better than them. She had made Luxa an orphan just as much as King Gorger had.

She did not even notice that she was crying until suddenly her head was rested against something soft and arms were encircling her. It was not completely odd for York to hold her, or at least he always hugged her when he first got to the capital, but just from the feeling of the person against her, she knew it was not him. The chest was not near as broad, and the stomach was not nearly as soft. It was the man.

And as much as she wanted to push him away, fight him, scream at him, even kill him, she could not. She just stood there and let him hold her as she cried. The last man to hold her when she was weeping was, of course, the Overlander. Other than him, the only person to even be near her in such a moment was…she could not remember. Perhaps Vikus after Henry was killed, but other than that, she was coming up blank. Aurora, if she counted.

Still, she could not move. She was frozen. And he even eventually thought that it was okay to kiss the top of her head, which should have snapped her back into action. It did not. She was broken. It was over. She had lost. Lost.

The King had returned. And the Queen was devastated.

* * *

><p>"You do not have to stay here. I…well…the royal wing is more yours than it is mine, apparently."<p>

"I need to stay here," the m- Lucien, said as he settled in on his cot. "I am not completely well, Luxa. They say that I am underweight and my eyes are not what they used to be."

She only stood there awkwardly, watching him as he settled into her cot. It had been two hours before she walked him back to his hospital room. Susannah and York had dissolved to…well….somewhere. Perhaps to eat dinner. She wasn't certain. It didn't matter.

"Mmmm." He was clearly comforted at the feel of the mattress beneath him. It reminded Luxa slightly of how crazed Hazard was when she rescued him from the jungle and took him home to the palace.

Blinking his eyes open once more, Lucien steady them on hers after a moment before smiling slightly.

"I tired greatly," he admitted. "When they found me, I had lost most all in the troop of five that I traveled with only weeks before. I was weak, hungry, and out of options. Had you seen my face when I encountered Regalian guards, why I was…I was at loss, my dear."

Looking off then, Luxa said slowly, "I have ordered your guards off. You are, of course, free to do as you wish. I suppose in the coming days it shall be you telling me what to do. You are the King, after all."

"Luxa," he said slowly. "I was not lying to you to gain your trust. I plan not to take anything from you. Not if you do not want. This is your kingdom. If…if me being here hurts you so, I can even go back to the Fount with your aunt and uncle when I am well, if that is what you wish."

She didn't know what she wanted anymore. She didn't even feel as if the last few hours, last couple of days were real. All she wished for at that moment, honestly, was to go be with Gregor and Lucais and forget the whole thing.

So after making sure that Lucien was fine, she headed off to go find them.

She had found it odd that Gregor was not still in the sitting room when Susannah and York had shown up. After all, it was where she had left him. When she went searching him out though, she found him easily.

"It did not wake you when I was speaking with the others in the sitting room?" was the first thing she whispered to Gregor as she came into her bedchamber. He and Luke were in there, apparently napping. It didn't even cross her mind that they might have been in there. Had Gregor heard her…crying?

"I heard enough. Thought about going in there, but then I thought that if that guy really was somebody, that it might not be the best moment to, you know, spring me on him."

"Why?" Luxa came to lay down on the bed as well. "You are only my whore."

"Ha ha."

Lucais was still sleeping, his little tummy rising and falling with each breath. Luxa smiled before leaning down to kiss his head.

"He really should get up soon, if he's going to go to bed on time," Gregor mumbled then though he had not moved since she entered from his position on the bed. He was flat on his stomach, head buried in a pillow. "Anyways, what was going on out there? I mean, I think I pretty much got the gist of it, but-"

"That man is…King Lucien. He is my father."

"Shit baby." Gregor pushed up quickly, turning to look at her. "Are you…okay? Or do I need to do something?"

She shook her head slightly as she moved to lay down. "Nothing other than keep out of trouble for awhile. I do not wish for there to be anything other than this to occupy my time."

"Of course, baby." Slowly, he moved to sit back on his butt before reaching out to cup one of her cheeks. "Can I…ask you something?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Are you still, you know, in power?"

"For now," she sighed. "He says that he does not wish for the crown, but only time will tell."

"What happens if he wants it? Later?"

"Well," she said slowly. "As he has not officially abdicated, it is his. He is in control. But if he makes no fuss of it, we will all go on as if nothing has changed. But unless he abdicates, then at any point he can pull rank over me."

"Then what are you going to-"

"Gregor."

"Sorry."

"Mmmm." She relaxed slightly into the bed. "I do not know what is worse. Knowing that my father has been kept from me or knowing who did it."

"You believe it then? Completely? That he's not only your father, but that Solovet tried to have him killed?"

"He's my father, Gregor. The stories he told… And Susannah, the second she saw him, ran to him. She cried when she saw him." Luxa groaned softly. "And as for Solovet I…I wish for another explanation. And now that I have decided he is my father, I will make it my mission to find one."

"I'll do whatever you want me to, Lux," he told her then. "You know that."

"I know."

"And, hey, maybe your dad will be super cool or whatever."

"Or whatever," she repeated softly.

"I mean, whenever you used to talk about him, you always said that he wasn't strict. That he loved you a lot." Gregor grinned slightly. "So I bet that he'll like me and we'll hangout and-"

"He does not even know that you exist, Gregor. So let's take this one thing at a time right now, alright?"

"Hmmm." He slowly moved to lay on his back. "It's your…father. Whatever you say, I do."

"Good," she sighed as she reached out to stroke their son's stomach. It really was time to awaken him. The last thing she wanted was him up all night. "I think tomorrow I might mention you to him and then go from there."

"Sounds great, Lux. But if at any time you feel uncomfortable around him-"

"Gregor-"

"I'm serious. If you start to think this guy isn't, like, your father or whatever, you just tell me, huh?" He shut his eyes again. "I know it seems too good to be true, but say the word and I'll skewer the guy."

"Mmmm. Is it too good to be true?"

"Are you not happy? I mean, if he really is your father, aren't you happy?"

"I think so," Luxa said slowly. "It's just…all too much right now. I want to forget about it."

"Ah. You're in luck."

"What do you mean?"

"I happen to have a few things to forget as well."

"Such as?"

He didn't say. "So I say that tonight, after we get Luke all settled up in bed, you and I go get some ale and win and get drunk like we used to. So drunk that we forget that we have any troubles. Forget that we have a kid. Forget that we even exist."

"That's what you want, Gregor?"

"Is it not what you want?"

"I never want to forget my baby." She snuggled him to her then, causing the toddler to awaken. He gave out his standard whine of annoyance before blinking his eyes open and staring up at Luxa. "He's my favorite."

"Out of what? Me and him?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Nah." Gregor grinned then, still not opening his eyes. "I gotta be your favorite."

"You do not…_gotta _be anything that I do not feel as if you are."

"Huh?"

She sighed. "You're not my favorite out of you and anyone."

"No way. Na-ah. I'm totally your favorite out of me and Howard."

"People from the Fount do not count, Gregor. Just by not being from there, you automatically win."

Reaching over, he poked her nose blindly. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"That was almost my eye."

"Meh."

It wasn't until she was getting out of bed a few minutes later that he spoke again. And even then, he didn't open his eyes.

"Hey, Lux?" he began as she started out of the room, their still sleepy and cranky son in her arms.

"What?"

"Can you do me a favor? With your father?"

She was getting impatient. "What, Gregor?"

"Can you not introduce me as your whore when I meet him?"

That made her smile slightly, leaning down to brush her lips over the top of Luke's head. Only Gregor could make her feel better in such a moment. Then, sobering, she continued out of the room, calling her answer over her shoulder.

"We'll see."

"Luxa."


	5. Chapter 5

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 5

"There is so much for us to catch up on," Lucien was saying as Luxa led him into the sitting room. "I mean, I have been gone for nearly twenty years. And out in the Uncharted Lands, we get no news of anything."

"Yes, well, much has happened," Luxa said slowly as he took a seated at one of the couches. She paused for a moment before slowly sitting down on the same one as him. This made him happy, but she only turned slightly to stare at him. "Solovet died during a war. She went off with two of her guards and the gnawers killed her."

He grunted. "Good riddance."

"And I have a bond. Aurora. I'm sure that you will see her soon enough. We bonded not soon after you d- I mean, after Mother died and you were…sent away." She swallowed then. "A-And Apollo, your bond, died not soon after the siege on the palace. It was during a defensive maneuver against the gnawers. He was with another soldier. I do not know the man's name, but Apollo's wings were slashed and then he was beheaded."

Lucien sat there for a moment before nodding. It was not like he was expecting his bond to be sitting around and waiting for him, after all.

"And…and… Hamnet wasn't dead after all."

That interested him. Shifting, he asked, "What? Is he here? Is he-"

"No," she sighed before letting out a slow breath. "He was living out in the jungle. And during the Prophecy of Blood, he acted as a guide to…the warrior. And myself."

"You?" Reaching over, he laid a hand on her shoulder. Luxa wasn't particularly at ease with that, but figured it was helping him at least. "What were you-"

"I was lost out in the jungle after the Prophecy of Bane."

He was starting to get annoyed. "Luxa-"

"I had to go," she defended. "The warrior wasn't a warrior at all. He was just a…boy. From the Overland. And I went on the Prophecy of Gray with him, of course. As it was only myself and…Henry that could go. So-"

"Henry then," her father was saying then as he let go of her shoulder. "I am assuming he is dead. Is that why I have not seen him? Died during a war? Or did Solovet take care of that problem too?"

Now Luxa really was uncomfortable. Shifting away from him slightly, she looked straight ahead once more.

"Henry was very…jealous of the fact that I was going to be more…powerful than him. So, on the Prophecy of Gray, he made a deal with the gnawers and was gong to-"

"What?" Lucien frowned. "Is that what Solovet told you? I highly doubt-"

"I was there," Luxa told him then, her voice taking a softer tone. It was still not something she liked to think about much. "And he fell. That is the last line of the prophecy. The Overlander was saved by Henry's bond, Ares, and Henry plummeted to his death."

So they sat there then for awhile before Lucien slowly took a deep breath and spoke.

"I always thought that, even if I could not be there, that he would be. He took such good care of you and Nerissa. I only-"

"I do not like to talk about it."

Taking that in stride, he said slowly, "That is fine. Tell me about Hamnet then. Where is he if-"

"He died during the Prophecy of Blood." Luxa sighed once more. "Cutters killed him and destroyed the cure that we thought we were going to get for the plague that hit the Underland."

"Then…what did you do?"

"The cure was not in the jungle. It was actually in the labs of Regalia." Then she paused before deciding he already hated Solovet. Keeping more about her from him wasn't going to fix anything. "The plague had been made by the humans, under Solovet's secret command, in an attempt to get at the gnawers. There was an accident, however, and one of the vials was cracked. I do not know everything, as I was lost in the jungle at the time, but the virus spread quickly. Luckily, Solovet had the cure."

"Then how was she not put on trial? For causing the spread of-"

"She's Solovet," Luxa reminded him gently. "She pinned it on the scientist that made the virus and put her to death."

Again, they fell silent. Luxa was still stuck up on Henry thing, but Lucien was actually seething. Solovet had put everyone in danger no doubt, trying to what? Kill more gnawers. She was always after more and more gnawers. It was horrible.

"Hamnet," Luxa began again before pausing. Then, slowly, she said, "While he was in the jungle, Hamnet met a woman."

"A woman?"

"An Overland woman and had a son. Hazard. She had died some time before he helped us in the jungle. When Hamnet died, I took him back with me. He lives here, in the palace."

"Mmmm. How did you contact Hamnet to help-"

"I am told that Nerissa is the one that told him where to meet them."

"Nerissa?"

"When she was a child," Luxa began, "apparently she told Hamnet that he should be in an exact spot, in the company of a Halflander child and a hisser. It was the night before he ran off from the palace."

Lucien groaned loudly, reaching up to rub at his eyes. He had only been released from the hospital into Luxa's care that day. He was honestly still tired and just wished to sleep. Still, he would rather be with her than sleep anyhow.

"This is all too much for me, dear," he told her softly as he moved to hunch forwards, resting his head in his hands. "It all still seems so…false. As if it is just a dream."

"Then we do not have to talk about anything else if you do not wish."

Letting out a slow breath, he said, "I still have not seen Vikus. Or Nerissa."

"You can," Luxa assured him. "I just… Vikus is very frail. And I do not wish for this to upset him. And Nerissa is mostly in the prophecy room at all times. She is no better than she was when we were children."

He lifted his head slightly then before sighing. "I think that right this moment, Luxa, I just wish to sleep."

"Well…no one has ever taken your bedroom. The one that you and Judith used. You could stay there if-"

"I think I would rather sleep here, now, on the couch if it is alright with you."

"Oh." She got up then, almost immediately. "Let me find you a blanket and-"

"I am fine as I am, dear," he sighed as he shifted to lay down on the couch. "I only feel too weak to move. I am certain that you have more important things to be doing currently anyhow, eh?"

"I should check into the war room, yes, and see if-"

"Then go. Never let me keep you from your work."

It was awkward for them then before Luxa just bowed her head and left the room. After she was gone, Lucien rolled onto his other side, facing the back of his couch. Just hearing her words about Henry and Hamnet and even the plague was causing his head to spin. All he needed to do was sleep a little. That's it. Sleep.

* * *

><p>"Nerissa." Gregor stood in the doorway of the prophecy room, staring in at her. "I think we need to talk."<p>

"We always need to talk, Gregor, you and I." She just kept staring at a specific prophecy, not even turning around to look at him. "We are too very important people, after all."

"Are we?"

"Yes. Of course."

Rolling his eyes, he went further into the room. "So anyhow, I wanted to know if you'd, uh, heard the news."

"About crop rotation being pushed up a week? Oh yes."

He blinked. Then he sighed. "No, Nerissa. About-"

"The King returning?"

"Yes, that." If she knew about it, why would she have mentioned the stupid crops first? What sense did that make? "I just thought it was odd, considering you-"

"It is not odd, Gregor, that I knew, if that is what you are insinuating. I told you I saw it. And now it is true."

"Yeah, but you said a dark man was coming to take her crown. He doesn't want it. And he's just her father."

"Hmmm."

"No, Nerissa. Not just a hmmm. Talk to me." He went over to her. "I mean, do I need to be worried about this guy? Do you think I do? Because if I do, you should tell me now."

"I would not be worried about him, no."

"But you said that he was a dark man. That means-"

"You take dark as an evil connotation. I merely told you his face was clouded from me."

"Nerissa-"

"Luxa is keeping him from me. Isn't it funny? My own uncle and she thinks that I should not see him."

"That's not true."

"Then why has she not told me of him yet? Why have I had to hear from others?"

Gregor sighed, glancing at the lit up portion of wall she was staring at before back at her. "You know that Luxa always thinks that you're…ill."

"Weak."

"No, Nerissa. She-"

"I do not care. I honestly do not know what I would say to him. I do not think that my uncle ever truly liked me." She glanced up at Gregor then. "Sit, sit. So we can chat."

"I'm fine standing, thanks."

She only sighed. "Where is Lucais?"

"He's at one of those tumbling classes for the toddlers. At the arena?"

"Mmmm."

"One of his nanny's gotta pick him up though. When I got up this morning, Luxa asked me to go with Nike to the fliers land on her behalf."

"Soon?"

"Soon."

"That sounds like much fun, Gregor." Not that her tone or voice implied she thought so. "I hope you have safe travel."

"Thanks," he responded dryly. "Look, Nerissa, I just want to know what you think."

"On the fliers? I never quite liked flying, but-"

"No." Groaning, he took a few deep breath before saying, "About this guy. The one that's supposed to be Luxa's father. Should I be worried or what? Do you know? If you really saw this guy, what do you-"

"I think it is Lucien, Gregor, if that is what you are asking. And I think that it is not your fight. And that if Luxa believes it to be her father, then it is not your business."

"Yeah, but-"

"I would not get involved," she told him with a sigh. "That is why I have not sought him out for myself. If Luxa does not wish for me to know or have any involvement in it, then I trust her. She always takes good care of me. Of the both of us. Why doubt her?"

"I guess so," Gregor sighed before looking off. "I, uh, just think that I should talk to this guy. You know? And-"

"Have you not even met him yet?"

"No."

"Oh." Nerissa sounded relieved. "Then I have nothing to worry about. If she has not even shown him to you, then why would she show him to me? You are more important, after all."

"Apparently not," Gregor told her with a sigh. "She says that the only one people that I beat out are people from the Fount."

That made Nerissa giggle, but Gregor only sighed. He had promised to go speak with fliers for Luxa. Something about fishing in the gnawers territory. Not that he really felt like it, but at the moment, he was kind of at her mercy as far as doing things for her went.

"No wonder you're always bundled up in blankets in here, Nerissa," Gregor sighed as he rubbed his arms. The stone room didn't hold its temperature well. "Well, I'm gonna have to go soon. So are you alright?"

"Oh yes, Gregor." Reaching out, she ran her hand over a specific section of stone. "I have my prophecies to keep me company."

"Of course you do." Shaking his head, he turned on his heels then. "I'll see you around then, Nerissa. Don't tire yourself out in here."

"Never."

* * *

><p>Lucien was in a deep sleep when a loud nose woke him up. Blinking open his eyes, he found that he was laying on the couch still, staring at the back of the couch. It took him a few moments to remember where he was. Behind him, he heard the noise again.<p>

"Uh-oh."

The noise again. It sounded like someone dropping something on the floor. Then there was a giggle. It sounded like a…baby?

Turning his head, Lucien found that he was still n the sitting room. Only he wasn't alone any longer.

"Mmph." Lucien turned with a loud groan, causing the toddler to look up at him. He was sitting in the middle of the room, some sort of wooden…blocks of some kind with him. As there was a severe lack of trees in the Underland, they would never waste it on a child's play thing. Groggily, he got out, "Who are you?"

"Hi." The child looked up at him and, after squinting some, Lucien found that his eyes weren't toying with him. It was a Halflander. His hair was dark and his eyes were an odd color. Maybe he was dreaming.

"Hello," he whispered before sitting up slightly. The toddler grinned at him then before going back to his toys. "Who are you?"

The baby didn't know how to answer that though. He only ignored the man then.

"Where did you come from, huh?" Looking around, Lucien looked for a mother or father to come claim the child, but no one came. He pressed a palm against his forehead before falling back on the couch. "What am I supposed to do with you? Are you lost?"

It didn't seem that way. The child seemed right at home. And where had he found those toys?

Lucien found out not a moment later as the toddler got to his feet and walked over to a little basket sitting in the corner of the room. From it, he pulled out some more blocks. Apparently, he he had played there before.

"If you seem so content here, I shall leave you." Lucien slowly moved to stand up. "I will go find a guard though, perhaps, to figure out where you are supposed to be. Because a large part of me thinks that it is not here. I-"

"Where are you? Did you run off into here?"

Suddenly, there was the voice of a woman, a young women, and it made Lucien freeze. Luxa must have been rather lax on her guardsmen, because the woman walked right into the sitting room, apparently not even being stopped at the entrance to the royal wing. He would have to double up on guards. King still or resigned, he would make sure that got done.

"Here you are." The woman, or rather girl as she appeared only to be a teenager, came into the sitting room the second she saw the toddler. "When I sat you down, I did not say run off."

"Hi." The toddler looked up from his toys and smiled over at her. The woman grinned back, almost bemused, before going to pick him up. Then she seemed to realize that they weren't the other two in the room.

"O-Oh," escaped her lips the second she noticed Lucien standing there. "I did not know that anyone was in here. I-I… Are you th-the King? I heard that you had returned, but...I..."

Lucien only stared at her though. His social skills were well enough when it came to people that he knew, or that he remembered, but after spending so many years with only a handful of other people, he wasn't too good at meeting someone new.

Slowly, he nodded slightly. Then, clearing his throat, he asked, "Why is this child here?"

"I-I'm watching him," the woman said slowly. "He was no doubt looking for his parents. I thought that they would be here as well, but… I'll just go. Now. Good day. I am sorry for disturbing you."

She plucked the child up before rushing off. Well…that was odd. Slowly, Lucien went to sit back down before rubbing at his eyes. Perhaps it was all just a dream. Maybe.

He sat there so long that eventually another person came into the room. It was about twenty minutes later though and it was only Luxa, who he was expecting. She came bearing a plate of food, which she immediately went to give to him.

"Here," she said, setting a cup of some sort of liquid down on the table in the center as well. "The doctor says you should eat regularly, but not in large quantities. Apparently, you can shock your body if you eat too much too soon given your state. Who knew?"

He only grunted, setting the plate in his lap. "Thank you, love."

That made Luxa pause, but then she only sighed and took seat next to him.

"Are you not eating then?" he asked her, but she only shook her head, sitting rather far away from him. He only grinned though, softly, before beginning to eat.

"I have told you many things," she began slowly. "Now I wish for you to tell me of your journey after being left in the Uncharted Lands."

That made him look at her again, though he only nodded his head slightly. She did let him finish eating, at least. When he had cleared his plate and gulped down his drink, she made her request again.

"Pardon my memory if it is not absolute," was his one warning.

"No one would expect it to be."

He nodded then before slowly beginning. "When they first left me, I still had my dagger with me, but not my sword. But as I was bound behind my back, it was no help. I stumbled blindly around in the darkness until I ran into a relatively large rock. Most of the part of the Uncharted Lands they left me was dessert, as it appears. Sand and little water. The rock I found, however, was sharp enough that when I rubbed against it, I was able to break my bonds. The problem was that I was lost. Completely. I had no way to get back to even the wineskin they had left me. I was in utter darkness and all alone."

"How long were you like that?" she asked slowly.

"Months, I think. I'm not sure. I had no measurement of time. Eventually, I found a stream and thought that it ran to the Waterway. So I followed it, but it only got me even more lost. All in the darkness. I ate small plants that grew near the water. I was dying of malnutrition. I was eventually able to start a fire, once, but it was impossible to continue burning it. I had to leave it. While I was there, however, I did manage to attack and kill a tiny animal. I am not even certain what it was, honestly."

Luxa swallowed when he stopped talking. Though she had come to terms with the fact that she was nearly certain the man was her father, whether he was or not was irrelevant. If he really went through all of that, she felt horrible for him.

"That was when I saw a light. Now, I am not a man of symbols, but I found it very ironic that when mine was surely coming to an end that I was seeing it. It was only once I was upon it that I found it to be a group. Of people. People that had never heard of Regalia or anything of the sort. They live, you see, out in the Uncharted Lands with no knowledge of our life."

Frowning, she asked, "How many were there?"

"In the group I met at the time there had to be over twenty. Men, women. Even a few children."

"And they…thrive?"

"Very well. They are…nomadic, I suppose is what one would call them. They travel around, killing for their meals and taking in any people they find along the way that they deem fit."

"You were deemed fit?"

He paused. "They took pity on me. I was so weak then. I look overweight now in comparison."

"Then you," she began slowly, not certain of the words. "You enjoyed your time there then?"

"Of course not, Luxa." He seemed offended at the insinuation. "I will not say that I begrudged every single day, but I tried constantly to get back to you. And they tried to help me as much as they could, but they were focused purely on their survival. And I was…not equipped to live such a life style. I was a prince since birth, after all. So no, I did not enjoy most of it."

That wasn't what she really meant though. Slowly, she found a better way to get the information.

"You said that you did not have…another family when York was here. You-"

He laughed then though he broke off into coughing just as quickly. When he recovered, he turned slightly to look at her before moving to cup her cheeks. Luxa was of course uneasy with that, but was too shocked to do anything about it.

"You are my only child, Luxa. I promise you that."

That answered the most important part of the question, anyhow, and kept any parts of it that she did not wish to know silent.

"And you did so well for yourself while I was away," he complimented her then before releasing her cheeks. "Look at you. You are twice the ruler your mother and I were."

"How would you know such a thing? You have no idea what-"

"Because, Luxa, I always knew you would be. Do you know how rare it was for us to get peace? It was impossible. And you, well you, I heard from your cousin Howard that you got peace with the gnawers all the way back when you were twelve."

"Well," she began slowly. Usually she thrived off people complementing her, but it was slightly awkward then. She was being praised by a man that a week ago she'd have still thought dead. "It was not a continuous peace, but-"

"Do not be modest with me." He only shook his head slightly. "I thought a few times over the years that I would get here and you would be…that you would be…gone. But you are not. You are here."

"I am."

"And now so am I."

They sat there for awhile, neither having anything more to say. Honestly, Luxa's mind was drifting to all the things she still needed to get taken care of. The thing that was at the forefront though was how Gregor was faring with Queen Athena. She usually didn't like to send him places alone, but the fliers loved him. Especially Athena. They all thought that he was most brave and, shockingly enough, funny. Not to mention a hero. Ugh. All the things that she hated to hear others say of him.

Not that he wasn't those things. Because he was. And more. But when people told him that, he had a habit of becoming very cocky and arrogant about it. Especially to her. Which she just could not have.

Still, the only other person to send out there was Perdita and she seemed to be almost downright enthused about the whole shiner thing. No need to overload her joy and kill the poor woman.

"Luxa?"

"Hmmm?" She glanced back at Lucien to find him staring at her once more.

"There is one thing that I wished to ask you."

"What?"

"Who was that Halflander I saw roaming around the royal wing?"

She didn't even blink, only shaking her head. "That is Hazard. Hamnet's son. I told you that he lived here with me."

"Oh," he said slowly. "I did not realize that that all happened so suddenly."

"What do you mean?"

"The Prophecy of Blood. I thought that it happened years ago, the way you spoke of it."

That made her frowned and glance back at him. "It did. Around the time that I was eleven or twelve. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Well, the Halflander I saw was merely a babe. I do not understand how this can be."

Luxa froze for a moment. It had never crossed her mind that he was talking about Lucais. Honestly, she never thought of him as a Halflander and rarely heard anyone refer to him in that way. She most thought of him as the Prince. In fact, most of the nannies and servants that cared for him when Gregor was above and she was working called him the little Prince. She knew of course that was silly, as he was a mere bastard, but it made her feel better.

"Luxa?" Lucien was now suspicious. "Who was that?"

"W-Well," she began slowly. "That was my…son."

Then they were just staring at each other, both waiting for the other to speak. Slowly, Lucien reached up to rub at his eyes.

"It still feels like a dream."

"It is not as bad as it sounds," she said suddenly. "I-"

"You married what then? An Overlander or a Halflander?" He didn't give her a chance to deny both. "I did not even know there was a king. No one mentioned it to me. Why-"

"There is not," Luxa said slowly.

He paused before saying, "I apologize. I did not know. How did he pass?"

"He did not," she tried again. The guessing game was getting old. She knew she should just be upfront about the whole thing, but it was proving difficult.

"Dear, I am confused," he said then. "Did you adopt this boy or-"

'The boy is my bastard," she said slowly. "And his father was an- is an Overlander."

Another eye rub.

"A nightmare then."

"Again, you are making it more than-"

"What happened to the Overlander then?"

"N-Nothing happened to him," she said slowly. "He merely-"

"Went back home? You managed to get him back to-"

"No," she said a little more forcefully than she should have making him frown as well. Thinking of Gregor leaving was never pleasant for her, after all. "No, he did not leave."

"Luxa, perhaps you should just explain to me-"

"He lives here, in the palace, with me. He is…was the warrior. We-"

"The warrior." He rubbed his eyes once more. "Correct me if I am wrong, dear, as my mind is quite faulty, but I though the warrior is to die. Has the Prophecy of Time not occurred yet?"

"It-"

"I am trying hard not to be judgmental, Luxa, as I have not had much hand in your life, but to not only have a bastard, but also a Halflander with a man slated for death soon enough is a rather-"

"Do not call him a bastard," Luxa said, meaning the force that came that time. "He is not. He is my son. And if you are who you claim to be, your grandson. And he will be treated as no less. The only reason I am not wed to the Overlander is because I wished not to taint the royal line, out of courtesy to your ancestors. And if you dare think for a second that I am ashamed of-"

"Oh dear," he sighed before facing forwards once more and hanging his head. "Now I have upset you. And so soon. I did not mean to-"

"Well do not just-"

"Forgive me." He was almost clawing at his eyes then. Reaching over, Luxa did not even think before grabbing his hands and tugging on them. When he was looking at her again, she only stared him in the eyes.

"What is wrong with your sight then?" she asked him as she slowly let go of his hands. "That you are scratching at your-"

"They merely itch, dear. I-"

"And have you not told your doctors? You-"

"It is the light," he told her then, gesturing around. "I am more accustom to darkness these days."

"Well do not hurt yourself over it. I will get you some sunglasses."

"Some…what?"

'Greg-" She paused. "The Overlander wears them. He says that they keep light out or something. I will have him-"

"Where has this man been then? Then entire time I have been here?"

"This moment? He is busy with the fliers. The rest of the time I was keeping him away from you. He does not rather like things that make me upset."

Lucien grunted before reaching to scratch his eyes. When Luxa saw this, she grasped his hands once more.

"Do not scratch," she warned before letting him go. "It is not healthy."

"And how is the Overlander not dead again, if he is the warrior? And how long have the two of you… How long has this been going on? York and Susannah allowed such a thing? I-"

"They could not very well stop me. And I have known him since I was eleven," Luxa said. "And we have been….together for a very long time. It is really irrelevant."

"What of the Overland then?"

"What of it? He goes to get the precious light of his sun that he needs and then he returns."

"And he does?"

Luxa sat up taller. "Every time."

"Hn." Lucien nodded slightly. He was still visibly bothered by the whole thing though. "And how is he not dead then?"

"Do you really wish to go over prophecies then? Over one that happened years ago?"

"No," he said slowly. "But I would like to…meet the Overlander. And the boy then. Your…son."

"You can," Luxa assured him before letting out a long sigh. Maybe the worst was over.

Hopefully.


	6. Chapter 6

Solovet's Secret

Chapter 6

Lucais was overly enthused at the sight of Luxa. And when she took him from the horrible, horrible nursery and back to the royal with her, he was downright ecstatic. Though at times he did get tired of his mother, he loved her very much. And after not seeing her the entire day, he was ready for her to play with him.

When they got to the sitting room, however, that man from before was still in there. Lucais was ready to just tell him hi and get down to playing, but his mother snatched him up they second they entered the room.

"This," she was saying as she carried him over to the couch. The toddler did not like it and started whining, pushing away from her. He didn't want to have to sit in her lap while she talked to the strange man. He wanted to play! "This is Lucais. And he is very upset all of a sudden."

"Yes," he was whining, wiggling in her arms as he tried to reach over her shoulder in hopes that she would understand that he wanted to be back over at his toys. "Down. Down!"

"He's very…loud."

"Yes," Luxa sighed as she sat down. "He is."

Giving into his fate, Lucais took to slumping back in her lap, curling his head towards her chest as he stared at the man next to them. When he smiled at the boy, Lucais only shut his eyes.

"Say hi," Luxa prompted, bouncing him slightly. He whined for a moment before sitting up on his own some.

"Hi," he told the man, even throwing down a wave. Luxa just stroked the top of his head with a sigh.

"Hi," Lucien repeated slowly before looking up at Luxa. "How old is he?"

"Three in a few months," Luxa sighed as the toddler turned in her grasp, pointing off at his toys. She had not noticed before, but some of his blocks were laying in the middle of the floor.

"Set him down then," Lucien told her. "You might as well. No use in him being miserable on my account."

When she released him, Lucais bypassed his blocks and immediately headed over to his basket of other toys. Retrieving some of his plastic zoo animals, he fell back onto his butt right there and began to play.

"What are those?" Lucien asked, frowning. "Where did-"

"They are from the Overland. His father brings him toys quite frequently. Apparently, children in the Overland are encouraged to spend time on frivolous things such as these."

"You are not worried of him smelling of the Overland?" Lucien asked, glancing around. "I hear that there is peace, fine, but gnawers-"

"Who would care if they can smell him? They know that he is here. His father as well. If anything, it would be bad for me if they could not smell the Overland around the palace. That would mean that the Overlander is gone and I am alone."

"You need the Overlander then?" Lucien asked, hesitating to find the words. "The Overlander protects you?"

"The Overlander protects us all," Luxa told him, that moment a strange one if only because she was being so honest.

"Didi." Lucais grinned, waving around his toy lion. "Didi."

"When does this Overlander get back from the fliers land then?" Lucien asked after a moment of watching his grandson play. "Soon?"

"He should," Luxa said with a nod of her head. She was still jittery, honestly. Her father seemed most interested in watching Lucais though, which was saving her from having to make up conversation topics. It was only making her more nervous, however. Was he…judging her child? Her still? Probably her. He was probably still was thinking about what a…slut she was for having a child not only out of wedlock, but also with an Overlander.

In all honesty, it was not how she saw her life turning out either.

"How many words does he know?" Lucien asked as he continued to watch the boy. Randomly, Lucais would look back at them, but his grandfather would only smile until he went back to playing.

"Not many."

"And the Overlander, he brings him things from the Overland?"

"Aye," Luxa sighed. "Or when his family comes to visit-"

"His family?"

She nodded. "They live in an apartment that connects to the opening to the Overland closest to us. They come and visit, more so now that we have a child together."

"Hmmm." He paused before asking, "And no one makes a fuss over this?"

"I have been with the Overlander for a long time. This did not all happen at once. Things happened in small increments until there was no point in fighting back."

"This is just all so…much."

"In comparison to finding out that your father is not dead after believing so for years? I do not think they equate at all."

"I never said that they did, Luxa," he told her with a sigh. "I only-"

"Luxa!" Lucais stopped playing for a moment and looked over at her. "Luxa."

"What does he want?" Lucien asked while Luxa only sighed.

"For me to play with him," she told him with a shake of her head before speaking to her son. "No, Lucais. Come here if you want me."

"Luxa!"

"No."

He sat there for a moment before slowly getting to his feet and toddling over to her. He had one of his toys in one hand, but still reached out for Luxa to pick him up. Sighing, she sat him in her lap.

"He is very needy," she told her father as he watched the boy settle out in Luxa's lap.

"You spend a lot of time with him?"

"Not as much as his father. He cares for him while I am working."

"Hmmm."

"He doesn't like most of his nannies," Luxa explained. "At all. He would rather be with one of us."

"That is not always an option, I would think."

"If his father was the King, it would not be. But he is not. He is free to do anything for the most part."

"What does he do with his time?"

Luxa sighed. She really didn't want to be talking about Gregor at the moment, mainly because she was worried about him. She felt like he should have been back from his trip by that point and was wondering what the hold up was.

"When we are at war, he is one of our top fighters. When we are not, he does whatever odd jobs I wish for him to do. Other than that, he usually would train before we had Lucais. Now though, he just cares for him mostly."

The toddler looked up at the sound of his name, tilting his head back to watch his mother. When she looked down at him, he only smiled.

"Here," Luxa said after a moment, moving to gather her son up in her arms. "Did you wish to hold him?"

"What?" He shook his head then. "I do not think-"

"Here. He is not a baby. You do not have to be careful with him," she told him then. "He will just sit in your lap."

The man was clearly hesitant though when she sat the child in his lap, not sure what to do with him. Lucais, as his mother was the one putting him there, didn't get scared or anything. Luxa always took care of him, after all. He just relaxed as easily as he had in her lap, resting his head against the man's chest.

"He is not afraid of strangers," Lucien remarked with a frown. "Is he?"

"Not really," Luxa sighed. "It is a problem when we leave the palace."

"Hmmm." He stared down at his grandson for a long time. Eventually, the toddler took to look back up at him. Then, after that was over, Lucais held up his little toy, waving it at the man.

"What does he do with these?"

"He pretends they are real, I suppose."

"Hmmm." Lucien looked to Luxa then. "I am still not certain of the ramifications of giving him toys from the Overland."

"Well, I am," she told him. "And there are toys that he is not allowed to play with, but most of the things that his father brings him are fine."

"What sorts of things-"

"Some things are too tiny and he likes to put them in his mouth. He chews on many things."

"He is teething?"

"Mmmm."

"I always knew that there was a strong possibility that when I got back, you would…that you would have a family," the man told her softly then. "But this was not what I was expecting. At all."

"This is how it is," Luxa told him then. "And there is no fighting it. He will always be my son and the Overlander will always…be here. Even if he is not, Lucais is mine. Always."

"Then you never plan to marry?"

"The Overlander? No."

"I meant that you never plan to marry in general," he corrected. 'To a suitable man and have legitimate children?"

She knew that he was asking an honest question. And it was not an unreasonable one. Still, it bothered her for some reason.

Setting her jaw, she said, "This is my legitimate child."

"Luxa-"

"And I will never lie with another, so no, I shall not be getting married."

Again, he took a moment before saying slowly, "I would just rather you married."

"What difference would-"

"What if you at least married the Overlander?"

"What? I cannot-"

"I would only feel better if you were married. It looks poorly on you, I am certain, that you are not married and are having children."

"Child. I have one child. I-"

"And I have no doubt that you shall have more," he said with a shake of his head. "And though you hate the word, Luxa, they are bastards. And this will be recorded. And-"

"I do not care." She reached over to snatch her son back then. "Why would I care? I will be dead when people look back on those records. What do I care what people think of me when I am dead?"

"Luxa, your reputation-"

"My reputation is worthless. I care not for it. I take care of my city and that is all that should matter. I keep us safe. The Overlander, the man that I have had a child with? He keeps the city safe. What happens between the two of us is only our business and no one else's. And whether you are who you say you are or not, you will not tell me-"

She stopped talking suddenly as her eyes fell to the doorway of the sitting room. There was Gregor, just standing in the doorway, staring wide-eyed at her. Then, when he had her gaze, he shook his head slightly and mouthed, _"I'll just go,"_ before making a motion with his hands, pointing to the side before trying to walk off. It was too late though, as Lucais had seen him and wasn't ready to let him go.

"Didi!" He jumped from Luxa's lap, landing on the floor before rushing across the room to the man. That caused Lucien to look over as well, spotting Gregor easily.

"Hey, buddy," Gregor said through a grimace as he lifted Luke into his arms. "Have you been being good today?"

"Yes." Luke nuzzled against his father, giggling. "Yes."

Letting out a loud groan, Luxa let it be known with her eyes and facial expression that she was upset with Gregor. He only took to shrugging though. It wasn't his fault.

"This," Luxa began as she stood slowly, "is the Overlander. Gregor, this is…King Lucien."

The two men were staring at one another then while Luxa only took to rolling her eyes. Luke was busy trying to get Gregor to pay attention to him however by waving his little toy in his face.

"Okay, buddy," Gregor finally said, looking down at his son with a frown. "We'll play in a minute."

He sat the child down then, who only gave up on them all and went back to playing with his toys over by the basket that held them.

"I have not met many Overlanders in my time," Lucien said slowly as he got to his feet. "Do you…shake hands when you greet?"

"Uh, yeah," Gregor said slowly before walking over. He glanced at Luxa, who was only watching with a dissatisfied look. Great, so she was upset. When he made it over to the man, he hold out his hand. When he had pictured the man, it was not as an underweight, tired looking, older man. He couldn't imagine that guy pretending to be anything.

Lucien was equally unimpressed with him. Though, really, there was not a single man that could have walked through that door that would have impressed him. No man would have been worth ruining Luxa's reign over. No man.

"Oh," Gregor said after they had shook hands. Reaching into his back pocket, he said, "When I got in, Luxa, I ran into Hazard. He said that you told him to tell me if you saw me that you wanted some sunglasses. I got some out of the museum for you, but-"

"They're for Lucien," Luxa said as Gregor produced them from his pocket. "His eyes are rather damaged. The light of so many torches bother him."

"Here you go, then," Gregor said, holding out the glasses to the man in front of him. Lucien just stared down at them for a moment before slowly taking them into his own hands. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"I do not know…what to do with them," he admitted slowly. He stared down at the dark shaded glasses before at Luxa. Sighing, she moved to take them.

"Here." She unfolded them the way she had seen Gregor do in the past before moving to slip them on her father's face. He held still as she did so. "Better?"

He blinked as Gregor held down a smile. They did look rather ridiculous on the man as they would on any Underlander.

"Everything is shaded," Lucien remarked as he looked around.

"But better?"

"I suppose so."

"Good." She looked to Gregor then, who was still just staring at her father. Making a face, she said his name before speaking. "How did things go with Athena?"

"Hmmm?" He frowned, turning his vision onto her before smiling. "Oh, yes. Athena. She said that she will look into it and that any flier fishing in those territories will be severely punished."

"You send him to negotiate terms for you?" Lucien asked slowly. "Even though he has no standing?"

Gregor frowned. "I do have standing, so maybe-"

"He has political standing in some ways," Luxa sighed. "Most other species respect him for the things that he has done in the past, such as ending wars and keep peace between people. Besides, he is a human that is not an Underlander. He is an outside source that is not biased."

"He is biased. He would always take your side, no doubt."

"Much doubt," Gregor mumbled while Luxa only rolled her eyes.

"Didi?" Luke suddenly wanted Gregor again and came rushing over, holding up his arms again. He just didn't understand why everyone liked the new man. At all. "Up! Play."

"This is all a lot to accept," Lucien said slowly as he went to sit back down on the couch. "I… Why did you wait so long to tell me, Luxa?"

"About my son? Because if I did not believe you were who you claim to be, then I would have never introduced you to him."

"No, I understand that, but why did you wait so long to tell me that you were…whatever you describe yourself as doing with an Overlander?"

Luxa only frowned. "You act as if this is the worst possible thing I could be doing. I could have completely destroyed the budget, which is what York wishes me to do, could have gone on a gnawer killing spree, which Solovet wished for, or I could have even turned out to be a completely boring person like Perdita. But I have not. I have decided to have a family with an Overlander. Is that truly that terrible?"

"I did not say that it was horrible, Luxa. I am sorry if it is taking me a moment to get over this, but-"

"Maybe I should just go," Gregor said slowly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "I mean, you guys are clearly having a moment and all, so-"

"Thank you, Overlander," the man said then, reaching up to remove his glasses. They would take some getting used to. "It was nice-"

"No, Gregor," Luxa said, crossing her arms then.

"No?"

"No," she repeated. "You are going to stay here because you are my….well…boyfriend and that means-"

"What does that mean?"

Gregor groaned, running the hand over his face then. "Lux, look, this stuff is between you and…your father. And I get it, sir, that you might not think that this is so great that I'm, you know, here or whatever, but I'm not going anywhere. Except for now. I sort of haven't had anything to eat in a few hours, so-"

"Go, Gregor," Luxa sighed then. "And take Lucais."

"Great. This was cool, but awkward." He reached down to lift up his son, finally giving into the toddler. "Is there anything you need me to do today, Luxa? Anything else?"

"No."

"Good." He bounced Luke then who only giggled. "Say bye-bye."

"Bye-bye." He even waved at Luxa, though he was just as quickly enthused by Gregor heading out of the room. He probably thought they were going to do something fun. Ha. The joke was on him.

When it was just the two of them in the room once more, Luxa had nothing to say. She only stared at her father before going to sit down at the couch opposite the one he was on. A stance without a statement.

Sighing, Lucien slowly slipped the sunglasses back on. He took to blinking a few times before deciding he rather liked then.

"Luxa," he began. "I did not mean to upset you."

"You did not mean to upset me when you said that I should have legitimate children? As oppose to the son I have now?"

"You are twisting my words."

"I am doing no such thing. You said-"

"If you are willing to lie with an Overlander, why would it be so wrong for me to assume that you were willing to have a real husband as well?"

She didn't set her jaw that time. Didn't have a comeback. Instead, she just got to her feet and headed out of the room, ignoring anything he said to her. It no longer mattered if he was her father or not. It only mattered if he was going to be a good fit into her family at the moment. And as it was turning out, he wasn't.

The end.

* * *

><p>"I think you spend too much time worrying about your upper body and not enough about your lower body."<p>

"That's insane. My legs are magnificent. My arms need to be more muscular. When I was talking to Luxa's dad, he seemed unfearful of me."

"Is that what we are doing now? Making you someone to be feared?"

"Isn't that what we've been doing the entire time?"

Hazard and Gregor were knee-deep in Gregor's training regimen at that moment, the younger male having to keep count of the pushups the other was doing. Honestly, if his life wasn't completely boring to begin with, Hazard might eventually have thought about turning Gregor down on his offers to help him out, but his life was boring. And he rather liked Gregor, honestly.

"What was he like? When you met him?"

"Shocked, mostly. I think Luxa had just told him about me. Luke was in there though."

The little boy looked over at the sound of his name from his spot on Hazard's bed where he was busy chewing on toys.

"You think they're still in the royal wing?"

"Probably. Maybe. I dunno. I went to eat and when I came back, neither of them were in the sitting room."

"Do you think he is going to make me leave then?"

"Leave?"

"Yes, leave," Hazard said, nodding his head. "The royal wing belongs to him now and-"

"Luxa would never let him do that, Hazard, so chill. You know that she loves you. And hey, are you keeping count?"

No. Blinking, he just took to pacing around his bedroom, not even watching Gregor do his pushups then.

"I have thought a lot about this, you know."

"About counting? Then get to it."

"No. About this man. I just find the whole thing very sketchy and out of the ordinary."

That time when Gregor went down, he let himself fall to the floor and lay there. "I find my whole existence sketchy."

"And why can't I meet him?"

"Hazard-"

"I think I would be the most important male in Luxa's life."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Next to you, yes."

Gregor pushed up then, but it was just to his knees as he stared at the younger guy. "You know, Hazard, I just got to meet him, like, two hours ago. So maybe you should chill some."

"Howard has spoken with him and Luxa does not even like Howard."

"Howard happens to be a doctor and also might have known him when he was a child. That is the difference." Gregor shook his head. "Besides, he does not seem to have too good of a time reacting to Halflanders."

Hazard snorted then, coming up short. "So he was really rude to you?"

"No," Gregor said as he finally got to his feet. "Not really. But Luxa's really on edge and took offense to some stuff. That's all. You know that she doesn't take well to it when people question any of her acts. Especially about Luke."

"Didi," the little boy called out then. He was tired of the man saying his name, but then not paying him any attention. "Hi."

"I hear you, buddy." Gregor went to go kiss the boy on the head to keep him content. Hazard had taken to pacing once more.

"I think that we should tell Luxa to-"

"No, Hazard. This is her deal. Not ours."

"But we're-"

"I know that we are, buddy. And we will take care of her. But she has to figure this out on her own."

"But-"

"Dude, if he so much as makes her cry, I'll behead him, alright? Now chill out some. If the man isn't Lucien, then he has made up a damn good story. He has York and Susannah fooled. And believe me, York is more down for public execution than anyone. If there was a chance this guy wasn't who he said he was and we could kill him, he'd go for it."

Hazard came to a stop. "Did he say anything about my father? To you? Or Luxa? Do you know?"

"Again, chill. You can ask him all about Hamnet when you meet him. You know, when he's feeling better and Luxa's calmed down some."

"Guess so. I bet he knows a lot about him."

"Probably."

"All York seems to want to talk about him is all the battles he fought in. And my father definitely would not wish to talk about those."

"Again, probably not."

Gregor hung around with Hazard for awhile longer before leaving his son with the man as he left to go seek out Luxa. He had given her a few hours and wanted to go find her then, to see how things with her father had gone. And to see if she was crying.

He was serious about that beheading stuff.

The only problem was that he couldn't find her anywhere. He figured she was in the war room after a search of the royal wing turned up empty and planned on heading there. Running into Luxa's supposed father in the hall stopped him, however.

"Overlander," he said, nodding his head at the man as he walked down the hall. Gregor was coming out of Luxa's bedchamber and almost bit his tongue at the sight of the man. Coming to a stop, Gregor nodded back at him.

"Hello," Gregor responded hesitantly. "I, uh, was looking for Luxa. Have you seen-"

"I think that we need to speak," Lucien told him then before nodding down the hall, no doubt at the sitting room. "Privately."

Gregor only nodded numbly, turning to follow him. "I was afraid of that."

When they got to he sitting room, Gregor found that most of the torches had been removed, allowing Lucien to slip his sunglasses off. Gregor said nothing, only took a seat on the opposite couch.

"I think I might have inadvertently offended Luxa, which was not my intention at all," Lucien began as he found a seat as well. "I was merely stating fact. She acts as if this is something that I should have known would have happened. I never even began to think that she would…that any of this would be here when I arrived. I thought that perhaps she would be married, but to be an unwed mother and housing not only a man, but an Overlander in the palace? I-"

"You don't have to tell that to me. My parents don't get it either." Gregor was praying that Luxa appeared in the door or something to save him from the conversation, but she did not. Though he had wanted to speak with the man before, when he thought he was trying to pull a fast one on Luxa using the psychosis she might still suffer from after the loss of her parents, at that moment he knew Luxa needed no protecting. If anything, Lucien needed protection from her.

"Yes, well, I do not think I will ever understand. I am not trying to," he explained. "I was only…shocked when Luxa told me. Halflanders are rare. And to bring one into the royal family-"

"But see, we didn't," Gregor told him then. "That's why we didn't get married. Because-"

"I do not know Luxa well, but I can tell her plan a mile off. She plans to never have an heir while grooming this child for the position. Then, when she dies, the council will easily vote him in."

"Close," Gregor said, scratching his head. "She, uh, thinks that she'll wait until he is of age, abdicate, and then name him as her successor. But I'll suggest that one to her too, in case she dies early or something. Of course, I don't think Luxa thinks she'll ever die, but-"

"I did not mean to offend you before, Overlander, or the child," Lucien said, moving right along. "In fact, I think that having a grandchild might even be…enjoyable. But you have to see how this has damaged her reputation. I have only known of it for mere hours and I already know that it has."

'Of course it has," Gregor agreed then, his tone taking a less jovial pitch. Swallowing, he sat up taller. "But we knew that it would. We don't care. And I know that you might, because you're not us, but I… Luxa and I are just always going to be together. Game and match. And we've always said screw it if someone said otherwise."

"I-"

"But I get that you're her father," Gregor said, speaking over him. "I get why this bothers you. I'm not like Luxa. I'm not…mad at you. In fact, this is between you and Luxa. Not me. At all."

Lucien leaned back then, letting out a long sigh. "This is just a lot."

"I know," Gregor said before standing. "I will tell you one thing though. About Luxa."

"What?"

"If you try to tell her what to do, she's going to get upset. If you even so much as say you do not agree with the dress she has chosen for an occasion, she will hate you. Telling her that you don't think she's done right in her life is only going to get your head on a spike. Luxa's done a lot of good for the Underland. If you focus on that and just ignore the rest until you get used to it, things will go a lot smoother."

Lucien paused before slowly nodding his head. "Thank you…Graymore."

Gregor blinked. Then he shook his head. "Gregor. Not Graymore."

"Oh. Well…Thank you then, Gregor."

"Any time," he mumbled before heading out of the room. If Lucien was sticking around, it was best if they stayed as close to good terms as possible. Because at the moment, sure, Luxa was sticking by her man. But he knew all it would take was Gregor ignoring one order and she'd totally flip-flop on him. It was just a given.


End file.
